Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli can play till he is 40, feels Deep Dasgupta
Former India wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta believes that Indian cricket team captain, Virat Kohli has the potential to play till the age of 40, provided he keeps himself mentally fresh.
In an exclusive Instagram Live session with Sportskeeda, the former Bengal wicket-keeper batsman spoke on several burning issues relating to the Indian cricket team.
Deep Dasgupta praised Kohli's impeccable fitness regime and his dedication towards the sport but put into perspective the mental aspect of the sport as well, stating that it could ultimately determine the length of the Indian cricket team skipper's international career.
"He [Virat Kohli] is physically extremely fit. He is very disciplined... He is in his early 30s, so he can basically go on for maybe five, six or maybe even 10 years and play till he is 40. He has got a structure, both mentally and physically, that can propel him to play till his early 40s. More than the physical side, it is the mental side of it... He is such an intense kind of a person. When he is in it, he is in it," Deep Dasgupta said.
Though, Dasgupta seemed mesmerized by the Indian cricket team captain's intensity across all formats, he stressed that Virat Kohli's biggest challenge would revolve around keeping himself away from a potential burnout.
"My only issue or the thing I am concerned about is, can he be fresh, mentally. What I have noticed over the years is that people who are so intense, they tend to kind of burn out a little early or be fatigued mentally. It might not be physically but mentally," the former Indian cricket team wicket-keeper added.
Indian cricket team captain's alteration from a chubby teenager
The Indian cricket team skipper's transformation from a chubby teenager to a fitness icon has been a source of inspiration for billions across the country. His dedication to his diet in the last five years has helped him rule all three formats of the sport, including the IPL.
In 2016, Virat Kohli credited Shankar Basu, the strength and conditioning coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore for bringing a much-needed change in his outlook towards the game. Looking at how important Kohli's presence was in the Indian cricket team, Basu ensured that the former pushed himself to maintain his intensity levels.
Mr Abhishek Ganguly, the Managing Director of Puma India had also stated that the Indian cricket team captain represented a 'youth icon with an effortless style'. Thus, in 2017, Virat Kohli signed a ₹100 crore deal with Puma, considering he embodied the fitness regime that an athlete should follow.
