Virat Kohli Fields As If His Life Depends On It: R Sridhar

Virat Kohli, the current Indian captain, has impinged himself as one of the greatest-ever batsman that this beautiful country has ever produced.

But apart from the runs he scores, or the hundreds he plunders or the records he shatters, Kohli’s biggest legacy will always be his contribution towards bringing a fitness revolution in Indian cricket.

Kohli leads by example when it comes to fitness is concerned, and is probably the fittest cricketer in world cricket today.

R Sridhar, Indian fielding coach, has hailed Kohli for his drive and commitment towards fitness. Sridhar revealed how Kohli gives more than 100 percent on the field every single time, giving an example from the 2017 Delhi Test where Virat chased the ball running towards the boundary as if his life depended on it.

“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,” R Sridhar told FanCode.

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‘For Virat Kohli, it’s a non-negotiable- R Sridhar

Sridhar said that Virat Kohli expects the same level of commitment in the field from his teammates and how a slow fielder is ‘non-negotiable’ for him.

He also revealed that the Indian captain made fielding sessions compulsory during his first-ever full series as 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,” Sridhar revealed.

And, for R Sridhar, having a captain like Virat Kohli is like a dream, as it makes his job as fielding coach lot easier.

“You have a captain, who comes out to fielding practice till the time he is bleeding, I have seen that. There have been times where I would tell him – Virat enough. I have to save Virat from Virat sometimes. You have a captain like that, for me, it’s a dream come true,” he added.

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