Former Indian cricketer Ishant Sharma, who was known for his fiery pace and relentless bowling spells, recently opened up about his early days in the cricketing world and the one teammate who truly lived up to the aura surrounding cricketing legends — Virat Kohli. Ishant recently shared a candid reflection on how, during his formative years, he often felt that many players had a certain "vibe". However, with experience, he realised that few truly fit that description. But Virat Kohli was the one who stood tall, matching that greatness.
“See, when I first started playing, I used to feel everyone had that vibe; at that time everyone was a legend. Later on, when I played, I felt that with just one person, Virat Kohli," Ishant Sharma said on the Raj Shamani podcast.
"His attitude was like that: I am here, I will get the job done. Nothing outside has affected his game. Whatever is happening outside, he knows that when he is on the field, he will score runs come what may. He has always been like that. Even if he has come back at 2 AM or 3 AM or batted overnight, the next day he would go out and score," Ishant added.
Ishant Sharma also heaped praise on Virat Kohli, highlighting his indefatigable attitude, singling out his exceptional fitness as a key factor behind his long-standing dominance in international cricket.
"I think he understood that if he wanted to play, he had to get fit. He is aware that fitness allows him to play long, keeps reflexes fast, and improves fielding. That change came about in 2011 after the World Cup and the IPL," Ishant said.