"You're surely not from Earth"- Virat Kohli compared to Superman by R Sridhar for his limitless energy on the field

R Sridhar spent seven years with Virat Kohli as part of Indian team dressing room.

 R Sridhar spent seven years with Virat Kohli as part of Indian team dressing room | X

R Sridhar, former India fielding coach, recalled asking Virat Kohli if he was from Krypton (the fictional planet from where Superman comes from), because of the limitless energy the legendary cricketer possesses.

Given what Virat Kohli does and has accomplished during his career, it is not an exaggeration to say that he is more than a typical human being.  

Maintaining the same level of energy, fitness, and form day in and day out, while accumulating runs and smashing one record after another is a rare ability among even the best cricketers, and Kohli has done so at an incredible rate of success.

R Sridhar, the former India fielding coach, continues to be astounded by Kohli's near-impossible feats, to the point where he has declared the Indian batting sensation to be from another planet and compared him to comic superhero Superman.

"It's only a very small part of your life, so what is the point in not giving it your all. That's what he said recently in an interview. There's so much for us to pick up from that. It's unfortunate that not many can try and get inspired by it and use that template in their own personal lives. He is from a different planet. I kept asking him sometimes when I was with the team. 'Have you had Kryptonite or something?' He always replied with a smile. 'Are you from Krypton? You're surely not from Earth' Where does this energy come from? And he'll always smile. It's unbelievable. What an inspiration," Sridhar said on Anubhav Talks.

Sridhar and Kohli have spent seven years together in the Indian dressing room, and the two have had a significant impact on India's fielding and fitness standards.

"I can go on and on speaking about Virat. He is such a legend; a true modern-day great without any doubt. We saw in the IPL how he batted, and fielded, the way he conducted himself, the energy and passion he has brought to the grounds. The way he has infused steel into his own team was amazing to watch," he added.

Not that being questioned motivates Kohli, but Sridhar believes riling him up isn't the best strategy to keep Virat quiet if you're in the opposition.

During the IPL 2024, Kohli was criticized for his low strike rate, with the veteran Sunil Gavaskar questioning his strategy.  Kohli responded by scoring 741 runs, including five fifties and a hundred, winning the Orange Cap for the most runs.

"He performs anyway, anytime. But it is a well-documented fact that he performs well especially when he is doubted, has a banter, or someone says something about him. That's why when you're sitting in the opposition, all teams say just one thing 'Please leave him alone. Let him come, let him smash us, no problem. Just don't pick up an argument with him or needle him. Otherwise, he will hammer us to the extent from where we won't even come back in the game,” Sridhar signed off.

Virat Kohli will be in action when Bangladesh visits India for a two-Test series.

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 04 Sep, 2024

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