Virat Kohli has not only registered his name as the greatest batsman but also as the fittest player in the game of cricket. He is credited to bring fitness revolution in the Indian cricket team. Team India’s current bowling coach R Sridhar has also lauded fitness-conscious Virat, saying that fitness is non-negotiable for him.
Since Virat Kohli took over the captaincy role, he has focused on building the team which is quick in the field. For which, he also made compulsory for players to pass the Yo-Yo test, a fitness test. He set himself up as an example for others, transformed himself to one of the fittest players.
R Sridhar has also hailed Kohli for being committed to his fitness and leading by an example for others. He also shared a past incident to mark his athleticism. In the 2007 Delhi Test match against Sri Lanka, Sridhar recalls that Kohli ran to save a boundary as if his life was depending on the ball.
“We were playing the 3rd Test against Sri Lanka at the Feroz Shah Kotla, our boy was getting married in a couple of weeks, he was going to go off. It was getting into a draw and Chandimal was batting on 140 or 150, Ash was bowling, Chandimal hit one towards midwicket. It was in the mandatory overs, the match was going to end and he got a 248 in that match if I am not mistaken. And he runs as if his life depended on that ball, picks that ball and does an acrobatic throw,” Sridhar told FanCode.
It’s a non-negotiable for Virat Kohli: R Sridhar
R Sridhar, further, added that Virat could not bare if any of his teammate misfields. A slow mover on the field is non-negotiable for him. He also revealed that the Indian captain made fielding sessions compulsory during his first-ever full series as a leader in 2015.
“For Virat, it’s a non-negotiable. A slow mover on the field or someone, not giving his 100% on the field, that’s it, non-negotiable with him. And that kind of intensity what he produces, and for a youngster if he just watches it, it should spur him on. He has made it mandatory for every fielder, not now, I am talking about 2015 which was his first series as the full-time captain in Sri Lanka, the first thing he said was – no optional sessions in fielding,” he added.
And, for R Sridhar, having a captain like Virat Kohli is like a dream, as it makes his job as fielding coach lot easier.