Virat Kohli credited Shanker Basu, former Team India strength and conditioning coach, in helping him transform his fitness and fulfil his potential as a professional athlete.
"Fitness is everything for me. The biggest transition in my career came in 2015 because of Mr. Shanker Basu," Kohli told Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri in an Instagram chat on Sunday.
"He was with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) then and he told me that he was going to introduce lifting into my routine. I was hesitant at first but he told me that 'you have to trust me'. It was something new to me and I had total faith in him [to help me through that]. I was amazed at the results I saw in three weeks. Then he told me what and how to eat, and that's when I started paying attention to my body. I am not naturally lean or lanky so I had to work hard for it.
"Everyone kept talking up my fitness regime but for me, I just did the basic requirements to do my job well. To be my best, I need to that and I just lived up to my responsibility. Until the day I play this sport, I am going to be a maniac. If you can't work hard, you can't be here," he added.
Kohli picked Sachin Tendulkar's knock of 143 against Australia from 1998 in Sharjah as the one knock he wished he had played. He also said he would like to steal Tendulkar's paddle sweep from the former India batsman's arsenal. "The ease with which he played the lap shot was brilliant. He had so much control, it was so delicate. I could never play that shot like him. I would like to steal that," he said.
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The Indian cricket team captain said Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was the one athlete, who made his jaw drop. "There are so many amazing athletes, who play so well. But he turned up in all the big games. I remember when Juventus had lost 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of a Champions League tie. Two days before the return leg, he told everyone to come to the game and that it was going to be a special night. He went on to score a hat-trick and help Juventus win the game 3-0. That to me is 'beast mentality'," he said.
Kohli recounted an encounter against Australian spin legend Shane Warne from the 2009 Indian Premier League, where the latter foxed him. "He made me look stupid in the 2009 IPL. Then in the 2011 IPL match at the home of Rajasthan Royals, we won the match and I remained not-out. He told me after the game, "Never bite back at the bowler' and obviously I never listened," he said.
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