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port of Spain: India head coach Rahul Dravid described Virat Kohli as an inspiration to many cricketers due to his immense achievements and work ethic, reflecting the legacy of the superstar batsman who is here to play his historic 500th international match. Kohli will join Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid and MS Dhoni as the fourth Indian to play 500 international matches in the second and final Test against West Indies starting at Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday.
“His (Kohli’s) numbers and his stats speak for themselves, it’s all in the books. He is without doubt a real inspiration to many players in this team and to so many people, boys and girls in India,” Dravid said on the eve of the second Test.
500 and counting _
hear from #TeamIndia Head coach Rahul Dravid and milestone man Virat Kohli ahead of a special occasion ____#WIvIND , @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/cJBA7CVcOj– BCCI (@BCCI) 20 July 2023
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“It is great to see Virat’s journey. When I played for the first time, he was a young player. I wasn’t really part of the team. I watch him from outside with great admiration for what he has done and what he is achieving,” said the Team India head coach.
Dravid said Kohli’s longevity and achievements in all three formats is the result of sacrifice and hard work ‘behind the scenes’.
“I didn’t know it was his 500th game. The best thing for me is to see the effort and work he puts in behind the scenes when no one is looking. And that’s a great thing for a coach because a lot of young players will notice and get inspired. It has come about because of hard work behind the scenes. He has made a lot of sacrifices in his career and wants to do so in the future as well. Longevity comes with a lot of hard work, discipline and adaptability and he has shown it all. So, this may continue for a long time.”
After making his debut under Dhoni in August 2008 in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Dambulla, the 34-year-old Kohli has come a long way. He has played 110 Tests, 274 ODIs and 115 T20 matches. He is the fifth most prolific batsman in ODI history (12898 with 46 centuries in 274 matches) and the only player to score over 4000 runs in T20Is. In Test format, he has scored 8555 runs in 110 matches.
Dravid, himself a former captain and legendary batsman, said he doesn’t see any sign of Kohli slowing down anytime soon. “It is reflected in the fact that he has been able to play 500 games, is still very strong, very fit, and the energy he brings to the game and having played for 12-13 years now is really fantastic. And it wouldn’t have been easy.
Dravid said, “You don’t need to say anything but the way you conduct yourself, the way you practise, the way you think about your fitness, it’s different from many other young players.” It becomes an inspiration for others who are coming into the system.”
Dravid was part of the Indian Test team that last toured the West Indies in 2011 with Kohli. However, they admitted that their relationship has only really flourished in recent times as they have spent time working with each other with a common goal for Indian cricket.
“And then now to be able to get to know them a little bit over the last 18 months, interact with them, get to know them personally as well, it’s been so fun. I’ve learned a lot from him and in many ways I’ve really enjoyed it, and hopefully he will too,” Dravid said.
