'I was a total wreck', Kohli recalls lowest phase of his career

For those who have tracked Virat Kohli's career from a decade ago, the transfiguration, as it can be called, has been one of cricket's most stirring tales. The heights he has reached as a cricketer are remarkable, but the sail hasn't been smooth throughout - it's been a rock-strewn excursion with several setbacks too.

As part of National Geographic's TV series titled Mega Icons, Kohli talks about the personal aspects of his life, revealing the darker side of tasting success early in life.

Mentally-hardened by the death of his father early on, Kohli turned into a teenage sensation after leading the India U-19 team to victory in the 2008 World Cup. Soon, he was handed a youth contract with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural edition of the IPL.

Kohli's fitness was nowhere close to his current standards

At 18, Kohli rubbed shoulders with the likes of Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Jacques Kallis, amongst others. The dream shattered soon.

"During IPL 2008, I was drafted into RCB. I saw all these big players. I got carried away and I wanted to hang out with them, be part of the group that comprises of these big players and wanted to feel good about it."

However, the season did not pan out as he expected, and he ended with an average of 15 in 13 games.

"I lost total perspective of what I should be doing".

His coach, Rajkumar Sharma, admitted that he lost track after getting introduced to the glitter of IPL life.

"When he had won the World Cup and the IPL was about to start, he was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for the first edition".

"That time he was a young guy - he had won the World Cup and gained a reputation. He got money also - he was signed for Rs. 20 lakh. That was a big amount at that point.

"They used to have parties every day. For a young kid, it was difficult to control himself."

Kohli himself confessed that his coach kept prodding at him for partying, but the youngster wasn't in the mood to listen.

"Back in the day, my coach was telling me 'you are partying too much and people are talking about it.'"

"I used to say 'no people are mad. They don't know anything. I am not doing anything of that sort. I would deny it"'.

Three and a half years later, Kohli was still battling with inconsistency and fitness. It was 2012, the year everything turned around.

"That is actually quite a significant year in my life, in my career. I had a great season with the Indian team."

"I had that tour of Australia - I got a hundred against Sri Lanka which was a breakthrough in my career and I got 180 odd against Pakistan in the Asia Cup."

Kohli was the highest run-getter for India in the Test series and scored a jaw-dropping 133* in a thrilling chase against Sri Lanka in the CB series. A month later, he posted a career-best 183 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.

The transformation came with the 2012 IPL

He carried a heavy reputation into the IPL, but his performances did not pan out the way he wanted it to. His sub-par fitness standards dragged him further back, and the disappointment drove him to the wrong lane, again.

"I thought I was going to dominate in the IPL but things didn't happen that way. The season finished, we did not have a great one."

He averaged 28 with the bat, scoring just two fifties in 16 games. RCB ended fifth on the points table and did not qualify for the playoffs.

"I got really pushed back because of it. I felt really sad, I felt really demotivated."

"I was eating very badly. I was drinking and partying. I was a total wreck at that time. No discipline at all".

"The first day I went home, I came out of the shower. I saw myself in the mirror and I was like - there is no way you can look like this if you are a professional athlete."

"From the next morning, I totally changed my eating habits and training routine and everything. That was quite a significant incident in my career."

"I totally changed my eating habits and training routine"

Since then, Kohli has completely transformed himself. From a chubby teenager with little regard for diet and discipline, he became a fitness-obsessed athlete who is a pin-up for the youth in terms of his game and health.

There's more to Kohli than just numbers - the human side of the modern great serves as an inspiration to anyone who strives for balance in life.