"A brash young Delhi boy to an evolved human being" - Robin Uthappa on witnessing Virat Kohli's growth
Robin Uthappa recently opened up on seeing Virat Kohli evolve from a young Delhi boy to the kind of superstar he has become now. He opined that the ace batter's discipline and dedication have been instrumental in his success.
Uthappa mentioned that Kohli has always had self-belief, right from his Under-19 days. The former cricketer remarked that he was surprised to see the kind of conviction Kohli had in his younger days.
During a conversation with cricket.com/tv, Robin Uthappa said:
"I have actually seen Virat kind of evolve from a brash young Delhi boy to an evolved human being. You know the evolution has been quite tremendous, to be honest. Today he's practically reaping what he had sown 15 years ago."
"One of the things that has always stood out to me about Cheeku has been his conviction in himself," he added. "When I listen to a young 19-year-old Virat Kohli, you know talking about himself or his conviction in himself, you'll get mortified, you'll be like 'What is this dude talking about?'. "But fast forward 10 years and you be like 'Okay now that makes sense.'"
Virat Kohli captained India to the U19 World Cup title in 2008. He made his Team India debut in the same year after being picked for the five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
"Showed us that there was stuff behind the talk as well" - Robin Uthappa on Virat Kohli's self-belief
Robin Uthappa also spoke about how Virat Kohli's conviction wasn't just restricted to making big statements, but he also backed it up with consistent performances on the field.
The cricketer-turned-commentator stated that Kohli continues to strive hard even after all these years. Uthappa highlighted how the former India skipper hit the gym right after an interview for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Recalling the incident, Uthappa said:
"A lot of these things is all fluff and no stuff, but Virat showed us that there was stuff behind the talk as well. He is obsessed. I remember went last year to interview some of the RCB boys, and finished his interview, and then the next thing you know that he's in the gym, and he doesn't need to be, but he was there in the gym, hashing out an hour-long workout before he went back and spent time with his family."
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is after the Men in Blue's title win in the recently concluded 2024 T20 World Cup. While he failed to make a significant impact with the bat till the final, he stepped up and played a clutch knock in the all-important summit clash against South Africa in Barbados.
The 35-year-old scored 76 runs off 59 balls, helping India post a competitive 176-run total despite a dismal start. The Rohit Sharma-led side ultimately secured a seven-run win, and Kohli was named the Player of the Match of the 2024 T20 World Cup final.