Exactly a month back, veteran India spinner Amit Mishra made an explosive claim that fame and power of captaincy changed Virat Kohli. Last year, two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh spoke on similar grounds, saying there is a "big difference" between "Virat Kohli" and his younger self, whom he had known as "Cheeku." However, fans reckoned that their claims "exposed" after the former India captain's "act of humility", on the sidelines of India's training camp in Chennai went viral on social media.
After spending a month in London with his family, following his last appearance for India in the Sri Lanka ODI series in early August, Kohli joined the Indian camp that assembled at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday to gear up for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting next week. Despite reaching directly from London that very morning, Kohli batted for close to 45 minutes at the nets, facing spinners on the pitch comprising black soil and another of red soil against fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
Despite the camp being held behind closed doors, the venue did witness a few fans over the last two days. One of those spectators, named Touseef Ahmed (based on his Instagram profile), shared a heartwarming account of his interaction with the India legend on the sidelines of the training camp.
Taking to the social media website on Saturday, Ahmed revealed how Kohli remembered being requested for a selfie by him and his friends and obliged after completing his training session. He further said that the 35-year-old also took them to the Indian dressing room to avoid the hot weather in Chennai and gave them batting tips when asked by one of the fans. Ahmed ended his Instagram story saying: “We had a great seven-minute conversation with Virat Kohli. 0% attitude.”
{{/usCountry}}Taking to the social media website on Saturday, Ahmed revealed how Kohli remembered being requested for a selfie by him and his friends and obliged after completing his training session. He further said that the 35-year-old also took them to the Indian dressing room to avoid the hot weather in Chennai and gave them batting tips when asked by one of the fans. Ahmed ended his Instagram story saying: “We had a great seven-minute conversation with Virat Kohli. 0% attitude.”
{{/usCountry}}What had Amit Mishra claimed?
Mishra, who played 68 international matches for India, 18 of which were under Kohli, said that his relationship with the former captain deteriorated over time, and reached an extent where he stopped talking to him.
"I have seen Virat change a lot. We had almost stopped talking. When you get fame and power, they think people are reaching out to them for a purpose. I was never one of those. I have known Cheeku since the time he was 14, when he used to eat Samosas, when he needed Pizza every night. But there is a huge difference in the Cheeku I knew and Virat Kohli the captain. Whenever he meets me, he is very respectful, but it's obviously not the same anymore," Mishra told YouTuber Shubhankar Mishra last month.