Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has lauded Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, for his unwavering dedication to the sport. Despite the fame and fortune that came with his success, Kohli remained focused on his cricketing career.

When you open tomorrow’s newspaper, you will only see one man – Virat Kohli: Irfan Pathan

In an interview with Star Sports, the likes of Subramaniam Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, and Pathan were asked about their impressions of the former India captain. Pathan, who played alongside Kohli during the latter’s early days, recalled his first impression of the young batsman.

“Whenever I used to see Virat Kohli in the IPL then I used to only see a boy, a young boy who has reached a good level and is enjoying himself both on and off the field. When you open tomorrow’s newspaper, you will only see one man – Virat Kohli, open Page 3 and you’ll see Kohli. But look he never sidelined Cricket.” – Irfan Pathan told Star Sports.

Kohli’s journey to stardom began when he led the U-19 Indian team to World Cup glory in 20081. This victory catapulted him into the limelight, and he quickly became one of the most talked-about young cricketers.

Young. Passionate. Hungry! 💪🏻@s_badrinath, @IrfanPathan, & @harbhajan_singh reminisce about their first impressions of @imVkohli, agreeing on his destined greatness! 🙌🏻

Will he guide RCB to glory in the upcoming #IPLOnStar? 👀

Watch #IPL on Star Sports from MARCH 22nd pic.twitter.com/MVdWJvndFh

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 5, 2024

Despite the hype and the big-money deals that came his way, Kohli never lost sight of his roots or the reason why he started playing cricket1. Pathan applauded Kohli for never getting distracted by fame or money.

Pathan noted that Kohli remained true to himself and the promise he made to his father about becoming the greatest of all time. He emphasized that if Kohli had not sacrificed in his life and hadn’t worked hard for incredible fitness, we would never have seen anyone score 50 ODI centuries.

“It’s good that his focus always remained in Cricket and that is the reason why he became one of the greatest cricketers ever and that shows how committed he is towards the game.” – Pathan concluded.

Pathan’s praise for Kohli underscores the latter’s commitment and dedication to cricket. Despite the fame and fortune, Kohli’s focus remained unwavering, setting an example for aspiring cricketers worldwide.

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