"Do today's kids know the ups and downs he has seen?" - Basit Ali on Virat Kohli completing 16 years in international cricket
Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali congratulated Team India's ace batter Virat Kohli on completing 16 years in international cricket. Kohli made his international debut on August 18, 2008, in an ODI against Sri Lanka.
Basit mentioned that youngsters should not just be fascinated by Kohli's 16-year career but should also observe how he has dealt with all the ups and downs. He opined that the 35-year-old has set a great example for others with his sheer dedication to the sport.
The cricketer-turned-expert pointed out that guys like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, and Javed Miandad have worked extremely hard to have a long career in international cricket.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit said (from 6:37):
"The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Younis Khan, and Javed Miandad had very long careers, and they spent top-quality time with their hard work. It is very easy to say that Virat Kohli has played for 16 years now. But do today's kids know the ups and downs he has seen? Do they know how early he wakes up to train in the gym on a match day? Similarly, Sachin Tendulkar was so much in love with cricket that he slept with a bat by his side. We have heard such stories but the youngsters haven't implemented these things."
Basit mentioned that Team India's young guns are fortunate to be able to rub shoulders with seasoned campaigners like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, adding:
"Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Riyan Parag, and Yashasvi Jaiswal are very lucky to be playing with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. If they still don't learn from them, all I can do is give them a salute. They should be constantly asking questions to Kohli and Sharma. Just sit with them and ask them to guide you."
Basit highlighted that not just batting, but Kohli's intensity in the field is also superior to his contemporaries. He elaborated (from 9:24):
"Just look at his dedication and the hard work he puts in. Even if he gets out early, he gives it all in the field. You can feel that Kohli is on the ground just by the noise the crowd makes when the ball goes to him. This is the result of the hard work he has put in for 16 years."
Virat Kohli was last seen in action during India's recently concluded three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. The veteran batter performed underwhelmingly in the series, registering scores of 24, 14, and 20.
"Virat Kohli retired from T20Is because of the chatter around his strike rate" - Basit Ali
Virat Kohli's form came under the scanner following a string of dismal performances at the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, he delivered when it mattered the most, notching up a stunning half-century in the final against South Africa.
With India's top-order batters back in the hut early, Kohli played a clutch knock, scoring 76 runs off 59 balls. The Men in Blue completed a thrilling seven-run win and Kohli was adjudged the Player of the Match in the final.
The former India captain announced after India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. Basit Ali reckoned that Kohli retired from T20Is because of the constant chatter around his strike rate.
Basit said in the same video (from 8:23):
"Virat Kohli retired from T20Is because of the chatter around his strike rate. However, the careers of power-hitters are going to be very short. Only a batter who is technically strong can play for a long time, and Virat Kohli is a great example of this."
India will now take on Bangladesh in a two-match Test series at home. The first Test will start in Chennai on September 19.