Santosh Desai, a leading Indian advertising professional and columnist, teased out the elements of “Brand Kohli” for Al Jazeera: “There is grit, a kind of fierce determination” “a combination of hot-bloodedness and internal discipline” “a certain hardness and masculinity” “aggression is an important part, directed both at himself and outside”. While welcoming cricket into the Olympics, the LA Games Sports Director Niccolo Campriani pointed out that Kohli’s following is “more than LeBron James, Tom Brady and Tiger Woods combined”. If put together, an agglomeration of Kohli followers would make the third biggest country in the world. No fewer than 372 million people subscribe to his social media feeds. During his captaincy, the Test team held the number one ranking for three-and-a-half years straight.īut to understand the phenomenon of Kohli in contemporary India, we have to consider, too, the impact of “Brand Kohli”.įor four of the past five years he has been placed first in Kroll’s Celebrity Brand Valuation reports for Indian celebrities, ahead of a bevvy of film actors (his latest valuation is $177m). Although India did not land a global trophy in that time, his 63 percent win record across formats compares with the best in history. There is the legacy of his captaincy (which ended, under controversial circumstances, in 2022). There are, first of all, the runs: a staggering 26,000-plus and counting in international cricket, already the fourth highest of all time. Virat Kohli (left) celebrates the 2011Cricket World Cup win with teammates Sachin Tendulkar (centre), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth in Mumbai on Ap ‘Hot-bloodedness and internal discipline’ Within India he has come to represent something greater: excellence itself. To the outside world Kohli is an icon for Indian cricket. In the 12 years between then and now, he has acquired a status that few in the sport ever have. If India go on to win this World Cup, it is not out of the question for Kohli to be the one hoisted in Ahmedabad. When India last won the World Cup, in 2011, Kohli was 23.ĭuring the celebratory lap around the field in Mumbai that night, he famously hoisted Tendulkar on his shoulders and supplied a memorable quote to the cameras: “He’s carried the burden of the nation for 21 years, so it’s time we carry him on our shoulders.” Kohli, who turned 35 that day, scored a hundred in India’s victory over South Africa, and in the process, he equalled his hero Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 one-day international centuries. In steamy Kolkata on November 5, the entire stadium sang him happy birthday. Under the snow-capped peaks in Dharamshala against New Zealand, they fell short by five runs. In the shadow of the Western Ghats in Pune, they successfully engineered a hundred for him against Bangladesh. On occasion, he has strategised with his batting partners to complete his century before the win was sealed. Virat Kohli celebrates after taking the wicket of Netherlands’ captain Scott Edwards Kohli’s World (Cup)Īmid all this, Kohli ended the league phase as the leading run scorer in the tournament, with 594 runs, getting 50 or more in all but two of nine matches. He obliged by taking a wicket from a dreadful delivery and enjoying every last bit of it with his teammates, fans and wife Anushka who cheered him on from the stands. And when the DJ spins the right tune, he’s also not shy to show off his song-appropriate dance moves, some of them picturised on his wife Anushka Sharma, a famous Bollywood actor and producer.Īt times the crowds have chanted for Kohli to be given a chance to bowl, and against Netherlands on Sunday night, he did. Keep reading list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Virat Kohli scores 49th ODI century to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record list 2 of 4 Kohli shines as undefeated India beat New Zealand at Cricket World Cup list 3 of 4 Personal escapade or work of art? Virat Kohli’s century divides opinion list 4 of 4 ‘Pakistan loves you’: Why India’s Virat Kohli wins hearts across the border end of list
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