The curious case of Virat Kohli!

Just a few days back, the social media, the critics and all the cricket fans went frenzy with that blistering knock of 157 by Virat Kohli against the West Indies, which also helped him reach the 10,000 run milestone in the ODIs. 

Despite the match being ended in a tie, the Indian cricket fans had many reasons to celebrate. The primary reason being Virat Kohli's grand entry into the 10,000 run club, interestingly smashing Sachin's record whom he literally worships. 

This episode has once again brought to fore the debate on "Who is the best batsman in the world?" This has become a hot topic in the drawing room conversations. And for the next few days, wherever I went, be it in office or during the commute and even in the social media, everyone was talking about this. I've been hearing the arguments from both the sides. (The fact that VK being the fastest batsman to reach this feat, strengthened the argument for his fans.)

As I am an ardent fan of Cricket and have been watching the game since the last 15 years, I also made myself involved in that discussions but couldn't take any side as I am a big fan of both of them. 

We have seen Sachin's long and illustrious career which spanned for 24 years.
But  what is so great about VK who has just completed 10 years in the International arena(who hasn't even played half of what Sachin did) that we are all comparing him with the God of Cricket!?
This point has driven me to do some research on this case. 

So let me now take you all to a tour of how his career evolved.

From being a cheeky child, to an aggressive teenager, to a matured skipper his journey is seamlessly inspiring.
Born in Delhi in 1988,started playing the game at a tender age of 10. His first coach was Rajkumar Sharma who played a pivotal role in polishing the diamond that VK was!
Most of us are aware of this incident which happened when he was 17 , where he was in the middle of a Ranji match and he gets to hear the tragic news of his father's untimely demise, but he still went and played the match with the same grit and passion , scored an unbeaten 90 and saved his team from the brink of losing. This episode in his life speaks volumes about the zeal and dedication with which he plays the game.
That incident has made him more stronger and determined. 

An year later he led the U19 team in Malaysia and won us the world cup. A few months from then he was called into the national side and from then on, there was no looking back. 

One more facet in his career which cannot be overlooked is his transformation from being a kid with chubby cheeks to a now worldwide fitness icon. He was the one who brought in the fitness crazy culture in the Indian team. 

But the only complain or rather the only apprehension that people had about him was his aggressive nature on field. But when Sachin Tendulkar (the GOD) himself has told that VK's aggression has become the strength for the team, there is no point in debating on it. May be that is what is helping him to extend his limits and pushing the envelope and stay focused in the game.
Another fascinating yet unusual thing about him is that he doesn't believe in superstitions unlike many cricketers. This proves that he is not just modern in the way he looks but also the way his thinks.
And in a recent interview when asked about his consistent form which resulted in the rise and rise and rise of Virat Kohli, he said that he cannot take any game for granted. Even after 10 years of his career and 10,000 OD international runs in his kitty, he doesn't feel any sense of entitlement..

That said, if he continues with his current consistent form and his attitude of not taking success to the head, he surely has a long long way to go.

He has already become a "DemiGod"  for his fans.. But will he become the next GOD of Cricket? Only time has to say!