5 times Virat Kohli heaped praise on Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are two of the biggest superstars in Indian cricket history. They made their debuts for India around the same time, and they are currently among the world's best batters.
Rohit and Virat have helped India win many matches together with their brilliant partnerships on the field. Apart from their batting, the star Indian players have also contributed as captains of the team.
There have been baseless rumors of a rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the past. However, the two players have always maintained that they are good friends off the field. In fact, Virat has praised Rohit on many occasions, and here's a compilation of five such instances.
#1 "It's never too difficult when you have Rohit at the other end"- Virat Kohli on chasing big targets with Sharma
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the top scorers in multiple big run-chases for Team India, especially in ODI cricket. Back in 2018, Kohli and Sharma hit individual tons to make a mockery of the 323-run target set by West Indies in a bilateral ODI. After the match, Kohli highlighted how his partnerships with Rohit always benefit the team.
"It's never too difficult when you have Rohit at the other end. It's our 5th or 6th double-century partnership, it's a pleasure to bat with him (Rohit). When we are batting like that, it's good fun out there and we know the team will benefit from it as well," Virat said after the match.
#2 "That shut my mouth forever"- When Virat Kohli saw Rohit Sharma bat for the 1st time
In a special conversation with Gaurav Kapoor on Breakfast With Champions, Virat recalled the days when he was a youngster. Although Virat was a talented batter, most of the fans considered Rohit as the next big thing in Indian cricket. Sharing the details of how he felt at that time and what happened when he saw Rohit bat, Virat said:
"I was very curious because, everyone was talking about this player called Rohit Sharma. I was very curious because I was also a young player, but nobody was talking about me. Then during the T20 World Cup 2007, I saw him bat and I just slumped in the sofa. That shut my mouth forever."
#3 Virat Kohli's special praise for Rohit Sharma after his centuries against South Africa
Rohit wasn't a regular member of India's Test team until 2019. The then-Indian skipper Virat promoted him as an opener for the home series against South Africa. Rohit did not disappoint Virat as he scored two centuries in the two innings of the first Test and helped India record a massive 203-run victory. After the game, Virat was delighted with Rohit performing so well in his new role and said:
"Rohit was outstanding."
#4 Virat Kohli showers praise on Rohit's leadership skills
During a promotional event earlier this year, Virat was asked a question about his relationship with Rohit. Virat highlighted his 15-year journey with Rohit and said they never thought they'd make it so far together. Further talking about Rohit, Virat added:
"I have seen the Rohit Sharma's growth as a player & everything he has done in his career. Now he is leading the Indian team, it has been amazing."
#5 Kohli praised Rohit for giving him the space he needed
Kohli had the worst phase of his career in 2021/22, where he struggled to score runs. He went almost three years without an international ton. That drought ended against Afghanistan in Asia Cup 2022. Kohli had returned after a brief break to play the continental event. Thus, after ending his century drought, Kohli thanked Rohit and told him in a special feature on BCCI's website:
"The space that you gave me made me feel relaxed. So when I came back (after break), I was excited about what I could contribute to team."
Virat and Rohit decided to end their T20I careers after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Both batters are currently a part of India's playing XI in the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh at Green Park.