[In Pictures] Virat Kohli meets childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma after India's T20 World Cup win

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli met his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma when the former returned to India after the Men in Blue's historic T20 World Cup 2024 triumph in Barbados on June 29. Rajkumar took to Instagram to post a few photos with the iconic batter.

Kohli began his cricketing journey in the cricket academy run by Rajkumar Sharma in West Delhi, and the coach naturally holds a special place in the player's life.

Proud of what Virat Kohli had achieved throughout his career, here's what Rajkumar wrote in his Instagram post:

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"From your first practice to your incredible success, you’ve always made me proud @virat.kohli . Keep going strong beta #viratkohli #proud #indiancricketteam #indiancricket"

Kohli won the Player of the Match award in the final against South Africa for his fine knock of 76 off 59 balls. After just 75 runs in his first seven innings in the tournament, the star batter rose to the occasion when it mattered the most.

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Rajkumar Sharma on Virat Kohli's decision to retire from T20Is

Virat Kohli raised quite a few eyebrows after the 2024 T20 World Cup final while speaking to the host broadcasters, as he announced that he had played his last T20 game for India. Rajkumar Sharma opined that while it was a big decision from Kohli, it was admirable, as the star batter wanted youngsters to take the baton forward in the shortest format.

Here's what the coach told Star Sports:

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"It is a very big decision that Virat has taken, that too at such a big moment where India has won the T20 World Cup. He also won the Player of the Match in the final which is the highest point for any player. I appreciate his decision as he wants the youngsters to get more chances and so it is a good decision."

Rajkumar Sharma also said that Kohli's decision to retire from T20Is would help him focus more on the format that he admires the most — Test cricket.

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