New Delhi: Former India captain Virat Kohli credited the legendary MS Dhoni and former India head coach Gary Kirsten for backing him to bat at no.3 during his initial days with Team India. Kohli, who is regarded as one of the best batters of the present era, made his international debut in 2008 and was part of the Dhoni-led side that lifted the 2011 ODI World Cup title.
Kohli was slotted in at no.3 in white-ball cricket after breaking into the Indian team, and he quickly cemented his spot in the side with his consistent performances. Kohli has been one of the best no.3 batters in the world over the years with an impressive 15,303 runs at the spot across all formats. The former India skipper recently revealed how Dhoni and Kirsten played a key role in making him India’s no.3.
In an interview with Mayanti Langer, Kohli revealed how Dhoni and Kirsten backed him and also revealed what convinced the duo about his abilities. Kohli admitted there was intense competition for the no.3 spot in the team and that he felt there were some batters who were far ahead of him in terms of quality. However, Kohli’s determination to win matches for the team set him apart.
“Because I had seen a lot of other people play. And I did not feel like my game was anywhere close to theirs. The only thing that I had was the determination. And if I wanted to make my team win, I was willing to do anything,” Kohli said in the interview.
“That was the very reason I got chances to play for India initially. And Gary (Kirsten) and MS (Dhoni) made it very clear to me that we are backing you to play at number 3. And this is what you can do for the team. And what you represent on the field, your energy, your engagement, that is of the biggest value to us. So we want you to play that way.
So I was never looked at as this outright match winner who can change the game from anywhere. But I had this thing of, ‘I’m going to stay in the fight’. I’m not going to give up,” he added.
While Dhoni was leading the Indian team at the time, Kirsten was the head coach. The duo led India to a memorable triumph in the ODI World Cup in 2011, with Kohli a vital cog in the Indian batting line-up at no.3. Kohli scored 282 runs in 9 matches in the tournament, including a crucial knock of 35 runs off 49 balls in the final.
Former India skipper Virat Kohli recently named two individuals who backed him to be the no.3 for India across formats during his initial days in international cricket. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
