New Delhi: Batting Expert Virat Kohli‘s mental toughness has long been a hallmark of his career, and stories from his early days continue to indicate how deep that resilience runs. By playing a Ranji Trophy To dominate age-group cricket the day after his father’s death, Kohli’s journey has been one of defiance despite the odds.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Kohli’s former Delhi teammate Jagarat Anand highlighted another instance from his Under-17 days where the batsman rose above challenges – this time, even when the coach was not in his corner. Speaking on Maha Bharadwaj Alter’s The Quiet Rise podcast, Anand revealed that despite a stellar last season, Kohli faced resistance from within the set-up.
“When we were playing under-17, we played two seasons – Virat scored a double century and two centuries last season. Virat was a household name in the Delhi circuit, he was always brilliant. Now when it came to the next season, there was a particular coach who was not in Virat’s favor, so they were trying to pull him down in his own way.”But if anything, adversity pushed Kohli further. Recalling the high-pressure match against Punjab in Patiala, Anand highlighted the mindset of the young batsman. He said that Virat has always been someone who if you give him a challenge, he will like it.Before the game, Kohli made his intentions clear in a team chat. “He said, ‘I will beat the living hell out of these people,’ in his proper Delhi vernacular,” reveals Anand. What followed was a statement performance – Kohli scored a double century against a strong Punjab attack featuring pacer Siddharth Kaul.The innings was part of a brilliant run. Kohli scored another double century with three more centuries that season, helping Delhi win the Vijay Merchant Trophy title. “So, you see, that kind of challenge. Imagine the coach having authority in that age group, but he still didn’t stop someone like Virat,” Anand added.This impressive run of form paved the way for Kohli’s rapid rise, including a List A debut soon after and leading India to the U-19 World Cup title in 2008.
