Virat Kohli plays for the boys, tweets for girls
My first meeting with Virat Kohli dates back several years ago. He had led India with panache in the under-19 World Cup and made an immediate impact in the international arena. There were whispers about his potential. Was he one for the future?
We all wondered.
We also heard rumours.
They said Kohli could be a little brash at times and his behaviour often left much to be desired. Not much of that has been substantiated but as he charted his own path in global cricket, there was an obvious and viable aggressive streak.
One Sunday afternoon, at ESPN STAR Sports' Gurgaon office (on a coffee break) I bumped into a tall, strapping lad, clad in a simple t-shirt and jeans, unfailingly courteous. And he wore a charming smile at the sight of naan and butter chicken served for lunch.
He was a normal, young dude, after all. All the antics were only reserved for on-field duties.
It was obvious that Kohli was destined for greatness like his illustrious predecessors in the Indian team, but there were indications that he was a showman, unlike his predecessors.
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| Virat Kohli has firmly established himself as one of the best in the world. (Photo: AP) |
Less than a decade later, Kohli has firmly established himself as one of the best in the world. His aggression is more controlled. The celebrations are more tame. But the showman in him is alive and well.
Kohli loves playing to the gallery. And now, as a batting star, when he's not busy slamming hundreds around the world, Kohli is seen regaling his social media fans with tweets and posts that could make you cringe if you're a guy who loves his cricket and cricketers.
I follow Kohli ardently on Twitter, and professionally, it's often a treat. His posts on diets, gym sessions and new haircuts somehow make for good stories. But as a male fan, however, I often feel a little let-down with his pouts.
Heck! You're a cricketer. You play like a boss. You score like there's no tomorrow. Those booming cover drives send shivers down the spines of some of the best bowlers in the business. What's with those pouts and shirtless photos?
It gets worse, really. I was recently out on a date with someone gorgeous, who also turned out to be a cricket buff. Worse, a Kohli fan, who couldn't stop talking about a latest photo the 27-year-young Test captain had posted.
"Did you see that photo? Hot body, man. And his new hairstyle is oh-so-cute," she cooed as we settled down with our first drinks.
I looked at my date and saw her gush with every mention of Kohli. And I felt sorry for myself as I thought of my receding hairline and umm, not-so-hot bod. It was a nightmare. It took another couple of Tequila shots to finally get her to stop talking about Kohli.
For common folks like me, it's like a lose-lose situation with a dude like Kohli on the prowl. He bats like a man possessed, he looks fitter every time you see him and the women can't stop ogling at him and then to rub it in.
Stop it already, Virat. Those photos are not making things any easier for poor commoners like us. It's depressing, trying to figure out how to match up with your standards. And no, I am not going to be inspired with your diets of almonds and black coffee. I hate almonds and I like my coffee with milk and sugar.
And no, I don't have the discipline to stay away from butter chicken and piping hot gulab jamuns. Women don't love you Virat, they are only obsessed with you, and they make it a point to let us know everytime you put those photos out.
I think you're the greatest limited-overs batsman in world cricket at the moment, but you need to go a little easy on those tweets.
Spare a thought for your bros, won't you champ?
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