Legendary Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has talked fondly about the time he spent with ace Indian batter Virat Kohli in the Indian team. He recalled enjoying his time batting with Kohli in the middle and how he is different from other average players. Notably, Kohli is celebrating his 38th birthday on November 5, 2026.

Virat Kohli made his India debut in 2008 in Dambulla, and it was at the same venue where he first batted with Yuvraj Singh in an ODI.

“I remember his batting position kept changing. He opened in five matches and batted at No. 7 in the last two. Our first partnership is still vivid. It was short (36 runs) but crucial because we had lost two early wickets (16/2).

We batted together a bit in domestic cricket as well. We always cracked jokes. We batted a lot together in the World Cup (2011). He would bat at No. 4, and I was at No. 5. I think he got run out twice while batting with me, and both times he blamed me, even though it was actually his fault. He still won’t admit it,” Yuvraj Singh said in an interview with Sportstar.  

Yuvraj attributes Virat’s success largely to his work ethic.

“He was doing well in the 2011 World Cup. He was consistent. I remember the trip to South Africa in 2010, before the World Cup. In those conditions, Virat, as a young kid, looked comfortable against the pace and bounce. His technique looked very solid. I think he played two brilliant knocks (54 in Durban and 87 not out at Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth). He should have gotten a hundred at Gqeberha, but for the rain.

After the World Cup, I returned to the team following my cancer treatment. I could see that he was much stronger, fitter, and leaner. I think he had changed his diet. He was hungry to get better. I could see that his work ethic had completely changed,” Yuvraj noted.

Yuvraj singled out two stands with Virat, recalling them for how well they were built and the caliber of the opposition.

“One was against Australia in Visakhapatnam in 2010. He scored a century (118), and I got a fifty (58). We were chasing a stiff target (290). We backed each other well. The other memorable partnership was against the West Indies in the World Cup in Chennai, when I scored a hundred (113), and Virat got 59 batting at No. 3. These are partnerships I remember well. Later, Virat scored a lot of runs, but unfortunately, I wasn’t in the team when he was at his peak,” Yuvraj said.

Yuvraj Singh also spoke about finding memories he shared with Virat Kohli.

“We enjoyed batting together. Lots of fun. We had a lot of things in common. When he became captain, I saw a different side of Virat. When you have the responsibility and become captain, things change a lot. You have to lead from the front. That was also the time when I wasn’t much part of the side. But I saw him grow as a player and an individual. I would say I enjoyed hanging out with Chiku a lot when he first came into the team,” Yuvraj stated.

“Definitely. He is a master of the chase. The number of times he has chased down targets is pretty incredible. His ODI record is unbelievable and unmatched. If you look at his record across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, he averaged more than 50 in all three formats for a very long time.

Obviously, he has worked extremely hard and made many sacrifices, putting his body on the line for cricket. He is probably four times more hardworking than the average player. He has put his heart and soul into the game. He is probably the best player of this generation across all three formats,” Yuvraj Singh concluded.

Virat Kohli is currently playing in New Zealand in the five-ODI series and scored 74 runs in India’s win in the first game in Auckland.

(Sportstar input)