Kohli currently has 8848 runs to his name from 113 Test matches.
Virat Kohli’s achievement as a cricketer is surreal, to say the least. He has taken Indian cricket to greater heights with his batting and captaincy over the years.
Kohli has represented India in 113 Tests, 295 ODIs and 125 T20Is so far, amassing more than 26000 international runs with 80 centuries. He led India in 213 matches across formats and won 135 of them. His success rate as Indian captain is one of the best in the history of cricket.
However, the journey hasn’t been smooth sailing for Kohli, who encountered many challenges in different phases of career but didn’t let his guard down.
Recently, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh offered insights into the determination that has driven Virat Kohli to become one of the greatest in Indian cricket.
Harbhajan reminisced a memorable incident from Kohli’s debut ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2008.
"I remember this one incident. Viru [Virender Sehwag] had gotten injured, I suppose. [Ajantha] Mendis was getting everyone out. He comes in; young guy, free energy. He batted and scored a fifty. He asked me, 'Paaji, how did I play?' I said, 'Very well.' He then said, 'Paaji, I shouldn't have gotten out; should have smacked him more.' Loved the attitude," Harbhajan recalled while speaking on Taruwar Kohli's podcast.
Harbhajan also highlighted Kohli's struggles during his debut Test series against the West Indies in 2011, which led to self-doubt.
"If I tell you something about his Test cricket, at the very beginning. We were in the West Indies. On that tour, Fidel Edwards (former West Indies quick) had troubled him a lot, getting him out either LBW or against the short ball. He was getting out time and again, so obviously he was very disappointed. He had self-doubt, questioned 'If I am good enough?' I told him 'You will shame yourself if you don't score 10,000 runs. You have the capability of scoring 10,000 runs in Test cricket. And if you don't, it'll be because of your own fault.' After that, what Kohli has done is a once-in-a-lifetime exception,” he revealed.
Harbhajan’s words proved to be prophetic as Kohli went on to himself as one of the best Test batters of the modern era. Currently, he has 8848 runs to his name from 113 Tests at 49.15 with 29 centuries.
"I have seen him change. His diet, his mindset – 'That I don't want to be just an ordinary player. I want to be someone who people will know for a long time.' The stubbornness I saw in myself, Kohli has a lot more of it. I want to be that guy winning games and scoring hundreds for India. He was scoring hundreds back-to-back in Australia. It was the first time India chasing 400 runs… and they are going after it. We may lose but we'll fight. That attitude of keep going, that's what makes you a player. Kohli has left an everlasting impact on Indian cricket," Harbhajan remarked.
Virat Kohli will be next seen in action during the home Test series against Bangladesh, slated to start on September 19 at Chapauk.