Kohli inculcated a fitness culture into Indian cricket

Bengaluru: The legacy of a sporting great is not just judged by sheer numbers and performances but also the impact they have on that generation and beyond that.

Virat Kohli, forever, will be remembered for elevating not just the fitness levels of the Indian cricket team to never-before-seen levels but inspiring several youngsters across India to hit the gym and develop healthy dietary style.

When Kohli broke into the Indian team during the tour of Sri Lanka in August 2008, he was the typical chubby-cheeked, hyper-aggressive, meat-loving and party-hopping west Delhi 19-year-old. Already cut out for bigger things during age-group cricket, Kohli loved the fight on the field and the life outside of it.

Coinciding with Kohli’s international debut was the Indian Premier League that was notorious for its post-match parties. As part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which then under the ownership of Vijay Mallya threw some lavish parties and was a much sought-after event by the socialites, a young and pretentious Kohli soaked it all in.

Kohli, who always wanted to be the best in whatever he did, then realised in order to achieve greatness, much like the two men he admires -- Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic -- he needed to inject great discipline. It was around the end of 2011 when Kohli decided to shake things up and not just he, but Indian cricket has never been the same since then.

As an individual, he shunned the aloo paratas, samosas and other deep-fried stuff most Punjabis love. Such was his dedication, he wouldn’t taste them even it was prepared by his mother. Sugar and processed food were banned. Out went the carbohydrate-rich food and in came protein-rich diet. Then down the line, he even gave up meat.

There wasn’t a day the 36-year-old missed the gym, despite his hectic travel. If legend has to be believed, Kohli, since the start of 2012, has maintained the same weight, day in and day out. Not an ounce more, not an ounce less. 

Always a leader by example, Kohli then ensured the same fitness mantra is followed by his team-mates. Since taking over completely in 2015, Kohli figured for the team to be successful, they needed to be extremely fit. Given full power by the BCCI, he and then head coach Ravi Shastri made Yo-Yo tests mandatory for team selection and there were cases when a player was not picked for failing to attain the benchmark score.

Centuries, strike-rates or the potential of a player didn’t matter if they didn’t adhere to the high fitness levels. Initially there was a hue and cry from some players but eventually they bought into the philosophy with several cricketers taking great pride in flaunting their six-packs and chiseled bodies as much as their on-field performances.

Even athletes from across spectrum and youngsters were inspired by Kohli’s dedication to fitness and treating one’s body as a temple. Kohli’s posters didn’t just adorn the bedrooms but the walls of several gyms – most of them trying to imitate the workouts the Delhiite would post on his social media handles.

Kohli didn’t just change the psyche of the Indian cricket team who never backed away from a fight and prided in playing the hard way – almost Australian like. He also brought about a change in fitness culture, turning a generation into being calorie-conscious.