Virat Kohli BirthdayVirat Kohli Team India’s superstar batter, legendary captain, and a man who sits at the pinnacle of numerous records has turned 38. He celebrated his 38th birthday on Thursday, November 5th. Kohli has been active in international cricket for nearly 18 years, during which he has played many memorable innings.
Beyond his batting, Kohli has also captivated fans with his personal style a look in which his many tattoos play a significant role. However, one of these very tattoos once earned him a reprimand from his coach.
On the occasion of Virat Kohli’s 38th birthday, we bring you an anecdote from his early career a story from the time before he had even made his entry into international cricket.
Back then, he wasn’t even part of the Under-19 team, nor had he become a world champion. He was busy honing his skills in junior cricket, showcasing his immense potential. It was during this period that he got a tattoo—an event that turned into a memorable moment.
Coach Upset Over Tattoo
Senior sports journalist Vijay Lokapally revealed this in an article. He shared that Virat Kohli got a tattoo while he was playing for Delhi in the Under-17 Vijay Merchant Trophy.
This was back in 2006 a time when hardly any players in the Indian cricket team had tattoos. For an unknown player at the Under-17 level to do such a thing was, in a sense, a ‘cultural shock.’ And that is exactly what happened.
Delhi was set to face Baroda in the tournament's semi-final, and it was just a day before this match that Kohli got the tattoo. When he showed it to his coach, Ajit Chaudhary, the coach was far from pleased.
He was quite upset and challenged the young batter to justify his decision to get the tattoo by delivering a stellar performance in the semi-final.
How Kohli met the challenge
Anyone who has followed Virat Kohli’s international cricket career over the last 18 years knows how emphatically he responds when challenged. This trait, however, took root as far back as his junior cricket days and this challenge from his coach was a prime example.
In the semi-final against Baroda, Kohli scored a magnificent double century, playing an innings of 228 runs that propelled his team into the final. After this performance, he showed his tattoo to the coach once again. Kohli also scored 60 runs in the final, helping his team emerge as champions.
