3 qualities of Virat Kohli that make him an inspiration

What makes Virat Kohli a global superstar? The fact that he led a team of eleven in a billion-population country? Or is it those peaks of greatness he achieves every time he takes the field? He's a brand and a significant influential cultural icon and has been so for well over a decade.

There are certain things that make Kohli what he is — a man filled with swagger, charisma, and the skill to go toe-to-toe against the best in the business. Among the many things he is for Indian cricket fans and cricket aficionados all over the world, one of them is being an inspiration.

He has certain traits that sometimes work as a double-edged sword, but it's pretty much those qualities that he lives by, and it's safe to say, it's worked out pretty well for him so far.

We take a look at three of those innate qualities that make Virat Kohli an inspiration.

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#1 Grit and bloody-mindedness

Virat Kohli's determined innings against Australia in the 2016 T20 World Cup gave India a semi-final berth

How often have we seen a steely-eyed Virat Kohli chase down stiff targets? He's resolute, dogged and gritty. The 'get-me-out-if-you-can' attitude serves well in real life scenarios as well.

It's that grit he brings to the table that suggests that he won't back down from a challenge.

There's a good lesson or two that can be learnt here. Grit and bloody-mindedness goes a long way in achieving goals — be it in sport or life.

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#2 Virat Kohli's willingness to change his work ethic

Those who remembered Virat Kohli during the IPL in 2012 and 2013 would have seen two different versions each season. It was metamorphosis, physically and mentally. Here's a quick excerpt from his interview with Cricinfo's The Cricket Monthly:

"I was high on confidence based on my success in the Australian Test series and the Asia Cup. I had very high hopes for the IPL since I was hitting the ball really well and I wanted to bat really aggressively, but that did not happen. So that really messed me up mentally. My eating habits, my training habits, they became very bad. I looked at myself in the mirror after the IPL and - this is an honest assessment - I told myself: 'You cannot look like that if you are an international cricketer. You need to do something.'"

What was key here was his willingness to change. Editorialising a bit here, sometimes embracing change works wonders. It worked for Kohli as he transformed into a lean, mean run-machine who was unstoppable by every game.

End result: He went on to become one of India's most improved and successful players across formats.

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#3 Immense self-belief

Not all tours and tournaments went India and Virat Kohli's way. If the 2014 England journey was a disaster, he was a pale shadow of himself for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2022.

While he was visibly shaken and distraught, that's not wavered is his self-belief. Note that Kohli had his revenge against England four years later. He creamed his way to a scintillating ton in a country he had not done much with the bat.

This supreme confidence in his abilities that makes for an inspirational life lesson.