To Virat Kohli, with respect

Some people are big. Virat Kohli is big—in stature, talent, and high-pressure performance.

Kohli made his mark on the world stage in 2008 when he captained India to victory in the U-19 World Cup. Many of us began following him during the second edition of the Indian Premier League and started seeing him as the next big thing in Indian cricket.

Playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he was initially overshadowed by giants like Ross Taylor and Jacques Kallis. It took Kohli a couple of years to establish himself—in the IPL and in the Indian cricket team—where he became a regular from 2010 and made his Test debut in 2011.

The rest is history. 

Kohli is the second-highest scorer in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and holds the record for the highest number of centuries in the format. He holds numerous cricket records across formats, including the most ODI centuries (51), surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. He is the fastest to reach 14,000 ODI runs and scored the most runs in a single World Cup edition (scored 765 in the 2023 ICC Men's World Cup).

In Tests, he holds the record for the most centuries as an Indian captain, including being the first Indian to score a century in all formats. He is also the highest run-scorer in IPL history and holds the record for the most outfield catches by an Indian in ODIs.

I think the fondest memory many cricket fans globally have of Kohli is his straight-drive six off Haris Rauf during the India-Pakistan match at the 2022 T20 World Cup at historic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The shot is also declared as the ‘Shot of the Century’ by the ICC—which people say, “was played by God himself”.

So, what makes Kohli invincible?

Kohli has the right temperament

You may have the best skills or be the smartest person in the room—that is not enough. You need to have the right temperament, and Kohli has that. Adverse situations bring out the best in him. I think Nietzsche describes it best: “…and those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”

Kohli sees what others cannot—not only sees but also leads the way out of it.

Kohli is the best version of himself

Like it or not, Kohli is the best version of himself: Unapologetic, Unfiltered, Unbreakable. And who better than Swiss psychiatrist and psychologist Carl Jung to describe this: "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."

Handling failure and pressure

Life is full of failures and setbacks. In fact, out of the 302 ODIs Kohli has played so far, he has scored 50 and above only 125 times, about 41% (51 centuries, 74 half-centuries). While 41% is still an exceptionally high number, most other legends, including Tendulkar, are around 31%.

However, looking at it another way, Kohli also failed to score 50 and above in nearly 60% matches he played. This is true for many of us—we fail more often than we succeed. What’s important is to stay put and keep going. The brevity of existence outshines everything, as beautifully written by Gabriel García Márquez in One Hundred Years of Solitude: "Cease, cows, life is short."

Kohli is focused and consistent

Another key lesson from Kohli is his laser-sharp focus. He is also one of the best fielders and recently surpassed former Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s tally of 160 catches in ODIs. 

One cannot have a long and successful career like Kohli without being focused, fit, and unfettered. For him and many of us in life, contributing in multiple ways—and with consistency over a long period, especially when things aren’t going our way—is essential. As Nietzsche famously said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”

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Loneliness and solitude for Kohli

Many may think that with nearly 270 million Instagram followers, Kohli has an endless stream of support during tough times. However, he once admitted that when he was going through a rough patch and relinquished captaincy, the only person who reached out to him was his former teammate and captain, MS Dhoni.

Loneliness is often the price of success. People only see the best side of you, and when life takes an ugly turn, the long queue of people wanting to engage with you suddenly disappears. Recognising this early in his career and preparing himself mentally for it has been crucial for Kohli and everyone else striving for greatness in life. It’s a character trait one has to build.

The GOAT debate

To conclude, I don’t want to engage in the debate of “who is the greatest of all time”, as challenges, circumstances, and opportunities were different in different eras. However, one thing is certain—Kohli is undoubtedly among the finest of the greatest globally, alongside Sunil Gavaskar, Vivian Richards, Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, and many more.

Bibhu Mishra currently heads the Saxon Science Liaison Office in India.