Bangalore in many ways has played a big role in the development of Virat Kohli as a fine cricketer. The 24-year-old Delhi cricketer has been a big beneficiary of the National Cricket Academy set up in his formative days.
Being a part of the IPL franchise from the City -- Royal Challengers Bangalore -- has also benefited Kohli, allowing him to interact with legends such as Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Muttiah Muralitharan and learn the nuances of the game.
And he underlined his affinity towards the City when he started the pre-match presser on Friday, wishing the Bangaloreans on the Rajyothsava Day. “Firstly, I want to wish all the people of Bangalore a happy Rajyothsava Day. It’s sort of my second home after Delhi.”
Then he went on to explain his bond with Bangalore. “I’ve been coming to Bangalore since 2003, so it’s more than 10 years now, right from the NCA. I think this is where I learnt a lot as far as my cricketing years are concerned, right from the Under-15 and Under-17 days.
“I’ve played a lot of zonal cricket here, coming from the North Zone. I’ve attended NCA camps. I’ve trained with different coaches. Even with the RCB team, I’ve learnt a lot. Yes, the city is very close to my heart,” he added.
Kohli also said he always enjoyed playing at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. “I’ve always enjoyed coming to this stadium. It’s got a great atmosphere for cricket. That, obviously, makes a cricketer feel good… If you have good practice facilities, good training facilities. So, the city has contributed quite a bit in shaping my cricketing skills.”
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