Business

13 interesting facts about Virat Kohli

By Sreya Basu

Posted on March 28, 2016

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

Virat Kohli is surely the “one-batman wonder” this World T20.

This season, not only he has time and again pulled Team India out of crucial matches, but he was the one who successfully steered India into the semi-finals with his thunderous batting that even the Aussies couldn’t handle at Mohali on Sunday (March 27).

While the nation is going ga-ga over Virat, let us bring you 13 interesting facts about the Man of the Hour:

1. Virat is called ‘Cheeku’ by his teammates. It was his Delhi State coach Ajit Chaudhary who gave him this nickname after seeing his spiked hair that resembled the Funny Bunny from Hindi comic book Champak’s Cheeku series.

2. He had his first crush on Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor.

3. Virat loves getting tattooed. He currently has four – two on each arm. However, his favourite is one of a Japanese Samurai warrior with a raised sword inked on his left arm.

There is a Scorpio (his zodiac sign) tattoo on his upper right arm. The third one is a Chinese symbol of faith on his right arm. He has also got a tribal tattoo on his left arm.

4. In December 2006, the day Virat’s father Prem Kohli passed away, he played a Ranji Trophy match for Delhi against Karnataka and scored 90 runs.

5. Other than Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina, Virat is only batsman to hit two One Day International (ODI) hundreds before he turned 22.

6. During ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, Virat was the first cricketer to hit a century on his debut World Cup match. He scored 282 runs in 9 innings.

7. At 23, Virat was listed as the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2012.

8. Virat still holds the record for hitting the fastest century by an Indian cricketer in ODIs. In 2013, he hit 100 off 52 balls against Australia in Jaipur.

9. It was at Cricket Academy in Delhi that he started his training in cricket. The year was 1998.

10. Virat plays lawn tennis in his leisure.

11. He idolizes South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs.

12. His favourite subjects are English and History.

13. The Government of India presented the Arjuna Award to Virat in 2013.

 

Big Wire