When Virat Kohli found competition in Novak Djokovic

One of the most influential players to be driving the game forward, Virat Kohli’s impact on the current cricketing generation is nonpareil. While cricketers are bound to encounter a dip in form, Virat Kohli continues to motor along like a fuelled juggernaut, refusing to slow down irrespective of the format, scenario or opposition.Over the course of the last few seasons, Kohli has upset a plethora of batting records, lifting his game to such towering heights that it’s difficult to recall a time when he was an obscure figure, just a decade back.Eight years ago, he was one of the many cricketers on the fringes of an India call-up, waiting in the wings with the hope that something would click. The choc-a-bloc batting lineup gave little leeway for another player to push in and make space. Virat Kohli managed to rewrite history.

However, as much as it has to do with his batting, which bordered on invincibility during the IPL 2016, Kohli has evolved himself into one of the fittest cricketers, if not players, in the world, committed to excellence and setting benchmarks for others to follow.As a youngster, he was on the heavier side, sporting chubby cheeks and binging on mother’s homemade food. IPL 2012 turned out to be the changing point in the then 23-year old’s career. With his Test career still fledgling, Kohli realised that he needed to change his physical form to edge out competition and become the best in the world.A multitude of lifestyle changes saw Kohli evolve into a different being altogether. He added a weight regimen to his workout, compulsorily worked out for two hours a day and changed his dietary preferences drastically, completely in conflict with his former self, who had fallen in the trap of bad eating habits, late night partying and irregular rest patterns.In a column for The Australian, former England captain Michael Atherton has described how Virat Kohli’s competitive spirit drives him to attain perfection, so much so that the contest doesn’t stop between him and his contemporary cricketers. He recalls an instance when Ed Smith, former Kent and England batsman, saw Kohli fussing over his body fat percentage, so much so that he measured his numbers against that of Novak Djokovic, stating that the Serb’s figures were 1.5 units lower than Kohli’s nine percent.

Ed Smith had spent time with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL this year, and the noticeable change in Kohli’s outlook, that is now there for everyone to see, was observed from close quarters by the English batsman.

Djokovic, whose body was notorious for being brittle during the initial part of his career, would frequently break down at crucial junctures of the game. An intervention in 2010 from a doctor in Serbia made Djokovic take food intolerance tests and change his diet completely. The very next year, he won the Wimbledon.

It is fascinating to observe two athletes set new benchmarks, changing their respective sports for the better, and promoting a fit body.