There’s something about Virat Kohli, isn’t it?
It’s not the fact that he holds the record for the fastest to make 13,000 runs and also scoring 50 centuries in ODIs. Yes, those are indeed incredible statistics but if I were to list down all of King Kohli’s achievements, we’ll be here for a while. Besides, his fans (including myself!) will keep singing paeans in his praise, every writer worth their salt will continue to write about his once-in-a-lifetime talent and critics will keep you abreast with every bad day at work he has in the future.
But this isn’t the aforementioned ‘something’. If not his ability to get a billion cricket viewers glued to their screens, what else is it?
It’s simply Virat Kohli being himself - an absolute green flag of a boyfriend/husband, father and all round gentleman. They don’t make them like him anymore!
For someone who is revered by almost every member of the not-so-fairer sex in the country, Virat has, on more than one occasion, exhibited traits that make him stand out as a man among the boys. He’s a rebel but with a cause, wears his heart on his sleeves and is resolute in what he stands for. In a world of shifting loyalties and beliefs, he stands apart not just for what he does on field but also who he is outside of it.
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Here are 4 times Virat Kohli proved to be the ultimate green-flag guy, and how you could do it too:
Be a sport, when you play a sport
After a year-long ban following Sandpapergate, former Australia batter Steve Smith made his return to the Australia squad during the 2019 ODI World Cup. During their match against India, the crowd that was supporting our Men in Blue, started booing Smith for that ball tampering scandal. In what is a rare showcase of sportsmanship in these times, Kohli shushed the crowd in Smith’s support.
Standing up for your competitor almost never happens in cricket, but trust Kohli to put the ‘gentleman’ back in the gentleman’s game.
Lesson you could learn:
It doesn’t matter if the other person is your competitor or not, if you see something wrong, try and make it right.
She deserves all the respect
Kohli’s love story with Anushka Sharma has always set tongues wagging, and one big reason for that has also been Kohli’s brazen declarations of his love. Blowing kisses to his ladylove in the stands every time he scores a century, Kohli has often shocked a whole generation of fans who had never seen a cricketer indulge in such a thing. But for Kohli, honouring the woman he loves and acknowledging her support has always been a no-brainer.
It’s probably why Sharma had to face the heat (completely unfairly) every time he failed to score in a match. Fed up of the incessant trolling his then-girlfriend was going through at the hands of rabid fans, Kohli decided to call them out on his social media. It may not have stopped the nasty comments against her, but with that one post, Kohli set the bar high for men defending their women everywhere.
Lesson you could learn:
Respect women and stand up for them every time you need to.
It’s all about family
When was the last time you heard about an Indian cricketer (or any Indian celebrity) taking a paternity break to be with his wife and newborn child, choosing to skip a key tournament? Kohli’s decision to opt out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2021 at the time of his daughter Vamika’s birth may have irked a lot of his fans but by following his heart, he showed new fathers everywhere that prioritising your family over work isn’t something only women must do.
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Lesson you could learn:
Get your priorities right. Your job isn’t and shouldn’t be your entire focus.
Brotherhood above bigotry
Remember how paceman Mohammed Shami was mercilessly attacked on social media for being a Muslim by hatemongers who couldn’t accept India’s loss to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup? Kohli’s statement of support was a true testament of inclusivity and righteousness.
It’s increasingly hard to find instances when people are willing to rise above religious binaries and make a case for true inclusivity. The chances of celebrities doing it are even slimmer, making Kohli’s response truly one of a kind.
Lesson you could learn:
Treat every human and religion with equal respect.