Virat Kohli, the Indian team’s star batter, is easily one of the team’s safest and most brilliant fielders. Kohli’s stunning reflexes and fitness have been a boon for him, especially while fielding, barring a few lapses here and there. He has taken jaw-dropping catches left, right, and centre, and while he has missed sitters on occasion, Kohli has been a beast and taken catches that many of his Indian teammates simply cannot. However, Kohli’s path to becoming a good fielder and catcher was not easy. R Sridhar, India’s former fielding coach, revealed that Kohli was not a natural slip catcher and that the former captain has worked extremely hard over the years to become the fielder he is now.
“Virat Kohli has progressed to become one of India’s best slip fielders solely through practise. Initially, he was not a good slip fielder because he was too energetic – he was a bundle of energy – and that is Kohli. Not that he isn’t energetic right now. He is still present, but he knows when to be calm and has better channelled his energy. But I assure you that it is practise “According to Sridhar,
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Sridhar then recalled an experience that the former India coach says he will “take to his grave.” Sridhar explained Kohli’s work ethic, particularly when fielding, claiming that no amount of sessions could tyre out the former India captain. Looking back on the fielding drills he and Kohli would participate in, Sridhar stated that there would be times when he would tyre, but Virat would show no signs of slowing down and would be eager to continue.
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“I had sessions with him when I was tired and said, ‘Virat, that’s enough.’ But he’d always ask, ‘Why, are you tired?’ ‘I’d like to catch more.’ And I’m like going on and on… stealing 100 catches from him. And this isn’t a one-time occurrence. Every single series. On some days, he catches more than 100 fish in a single session. And the amount of energy he expends is mind-boggling. That is a sight I will remember for the rest of my life… Virat Kohli practising, “Sridhar mentioned this.
“And hundreds and hundreds of catches for slip catching. Whether in Brisbane, Ahmedabad, or Southampton. He is wherever he is. When it comes to fielding, his intensity is a lesson; he is a model for any young cricketer to emulate. He wants it fast and precise… ‘Give me more to my left, more to my right.’ More one-handed, two-handed actions. And if he believes the ball is moving too slowly, he will take a few steps forward to test his reaction.”
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