What makes Virat Kohli the undisputed monarch of the cricket world today
is not his iconic status in the sports hierarchy but that the highest
praise comes from the opposition camp and past greats.
However, his family didn't always have it good. No stranger to loss,
Kohli's biggest support both on and off the field - his father,
succumbed to a cerebral stroke when he was very young. In a fitting
tribute that would've made his old man proud, Kohli returned to continue
an innings just a few hours after his father passed away. 'He was the
one who drove me to practice every day, ' the captain of the Indian Test
team recalls with characteristic humility and grace. Widely travelled
sports journalist Vijay Lokapally goes on to recount happier times on
the journey of Virat's rapid rise to international stardom, an account
punctuated with little-known stories by his fellow players, coaches and
intimates. At 27, he has already been the recipient of countless
accolades including the Arjuna Award, the title of BCCI's 'international
cricketer of the Year' as well as the ICC's 'ODI Player of the Year',
but for Kohli it's not about the money or the fame, or the roar of the
crowds or the flattering attention from women of all ages. Few know of
his altruistic nature and his dedication to numerous charities for
under-privileged children. What has not escaped the public eye though,
is how this wizard of the willow wears his heavy mantle with such
insouciant ease.
