Hardik Pandya shared how the entire Indian cricket team is inspired to be fit by watching the super fit skipper Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli’s transformation from a chubby batsman to one of the fittest cricketer has inspired the current Indian team as his fitness levels have shown results in his batting as well. Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya said that people tend to follow him because he leads from the front.
Pandya said on India Today Inspiration, “Yeah, yeah (whether Kohli changed the way the team looked at fitness). Lots of people started having fitness awareness. He changed and completely transformed. Why people follow him because he sets the example and leads from the front. A fit Virat is always the better Virat, as I have said.”
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The Baroda all-rounder also shared that the high energy levels of Virat Kohli sometimes become too much to take and he has to remind the skipper to calm down a bit. He is energetic even in the 49th over and something like that is commendable even to one of the fittest cricketers like Hardik Pandya.
The 26-year-old said, “100 percent (on being inspired by Kohli). Naturally, I am a very fitness-oriented guy. But to see someone at that level, it is very commendable. It's just amazing. If you see the old Virat Kohli and the new Virat Kohli, it's just different. The amount of energy he has in the 49th over also, he jumps and throws and gets angry.”
“I am like 'boss, you have to take a chill pill'. But that is what his energy is, his fitness level is. It inspires many, not just me,” he added.
Virat Kohli will lead the Indian team in the ODI series against Australia from January 14 while Pandya is yet to recover from a lower back injury.
(Inputs from India Today)
