Often as you will realise, the rides that lead to cusps of greatness are the most thrilling. Often as you will reflect, those journeys that you watched unfold into magnificent landmarks will give you the thrill of having nurtured them - invariably so. While many a caravan start rumbling along, the joy of riding those that reek of madness and transform themselves and their paths into more complete entities is inexplicable.
What if the caravan you are seated in, managed to find some wings and began to fly - soaring above its peers? What a joy it would be! How magical!
It's called "Viratification" - a rare but absolute form of gratification.
This year will figure prominently in his oeuvre and he will in Indian cricket's. What has hit him we know not, how he has evolved from a boisterous brat to a consortium of muscle and mind is an overwhelming simile of evolution. His climb to the top was maniacal and zesty, his ascent to the skies has been cathartic – the sort that can happen only when one soars and sniffs the rarefied ambience of greatness. The sort that we watchers get only once in a few decades.
When Dravid eked out centuries and doubles, I lived through the journey - perspiring and focussing like he did, grinding the clock and mincing runs honestly; Innings were as well laid out as high school investiture ceremonies. Those days were forced to sing in a scale he chose, the game manoeuvred to click in sync with his metronome.
He made oppositions bleed, but it was with a sense of decency and decorum. That was an experience. It was a melodious orchestra sometimes and a kutcheri at others. The rhythm and raaga were always sacrosanct.
Also read: Lata Mangeshkar dedicates a song to Virat Kohli after his Mumbai masterclass
Kohli's innings are expeditions. That is a batsman spoilt for choice; With a willowy and brusque command and also the grin of having met a young heart's demands. He flies when he chooses to and tiptoes at will. His tenure at the crease - based on strong and orthodox technique, has layers of adrenalin and athleticism. He makes my heart race and anoints a cream of invincibility on my mind. The air is full of hope and optimism, my swollen chest threatens to rip off the buttons of my shirt.
It is what rock music does to you. It triggers a rage, flays minimalistic tendencies, exhorts you to let your hair down and flare your spirit, allows for a few excesses and dictates new norms.
But all music originates from emotion and conveys its creators, renditioners and audience to a place of ethereal absoluteness. As unique as genres and styles are, they culminate into a medium to elevate the finesse of the human form. Both Dravid and Kohli stand as resplendent examples of how differently batting could be demonstrated, but how similar it is in terms of purpose and poise.
To run like Kohli but also to cover drive like him, to attempt his pull and also to dive into the crease to complete an impossible run, to chirp away at will and to see the ball and the ball alone as it is hurled at him - one has to live in two worlds - one of a consummate artiste and the other of a performer.
In the age of fusion - Kohli combines the belligerence of youth with sanity-accomplished by wisdom. What he becomes in the process is for the world to see. If “coming of age” meant such consistency and charisma, ageing would be infinitely more glamorous and sought after. While he plunders runs flamboyantly, the new sobriety he has learned to live with and appreciate has not gone unnoticed.
Here is the new-age yogi - muscular and tattooed, loud and agitated, worldly and charismatic. But beneath all that meets the eye, is the penance to become the best the world of cricket has ever known.
While the Kohli caravan sprints on delightfully, it makes the game look more acrobatic and agile than it normally is. It endorses flair and panache, but consistently works on enhancing its quality and ability. Maybe it shows what can happen if one decides that one’s pursuit of excellence will remain one’s ultimate addiction.
Cobain rattled the world with his grunge music and fell away just as he was about to embrace greatness in life. Kohli has a Cobain in him, but a more sober and complete version. So he surely cannot go anywhere else, but walk around with greatness by his side - as if it were his bride.
To watch Kohli become what he intends to and to admire the metamorphosis is a thrill - one whose memories will be as thrilling when one day in the future I happen to look back.
Even then I will exclaim “Viratification is happening to me!”
