Virat Kohli was introduced to him as the boy who would “surpass him” one day, revealed Virendra Sehwag at the launch of Driven, a new book on Kohli written by veteran journalist Vijay Lokapally.
Sharing a story from Kohli's formative years with the Delhi Ranji team, Sehwag said:
It was Pradeep Sangwan who came and told me “Bhaiyaa, ek ladkaa hain jo aapko bhi peeche chhor dega,” (This boy will surpass even you). I was curious to know who this boy was.
Sangwan's praise for his India U-19 teammate was not misplaced, Sehwag realised later.
Heaping praise of the Indian skipper, Sehwag said:
This was a match where Virat powerfully drove the ball. There was both long-on and long-off and yet the ball raced to the boundary and I knew he was talented. But he also remained humble all these years.
Kohli Admits His Mistakes: Coach Anil Kumble
For India's chief coach Anil Kumble, what impresses him apart from his inspirational leadership is Kohli's ability to be flexible in certain situations.
I love the way he prepares for his matches. Not only does he lead by example but when he makes a mistake, he has the honesty to admit it. He (Virat) would come up to you and say, ‘Okay I have made a mistake. Can we discuss?’ I believe when he will look back at his wonderful career, he will be really proud of his achievements.
While Team Director Ravi Shastri said Kohli was “on his way towards becoming one of the all-time greats that the world has ever seen”, World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev advised the Indian Test skipper to “not only play cricket but also have a sense of humour”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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