Domestic youngsters in awe of Rohit-Kohli's presence in VHT (Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com)
India’s domestic tournaments have produced some of the finest talents for the national team, and the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy became even more special with a few stars' return. As Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma returned to the stage where it all began, fans experienced nostalgia.
After the icons united with the domestic stars, it became a once-in-a-lifetime experience for them. Speaking about RO-KO’s impact, young players from Delhi and Mumbai couldn’t stop praising the aura and influence of the legends.
Dream come true for Suryansh as Angkrish gets the ideal opening mate
After retiring from the Test and T20Is, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli came back to the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy to keep their ODI preparation on track. Even though they just appeared for only two matches, youngsters lived in their dream and learnt some of the biggest life lessons. As fans enjoyed their spark on that stage, where it all began, the future Indian stars collected their best memories of life.
As the BCCI released a video where the youngsters from Delhi and Mumbai shared their experience of sharing the dressing room with the legends. Speaking about the Hitman’s brilliance, Mumbai all-rounder Suryansh Shedge opened up on what truly leaves him in awe of Rohit Sharma.
“First day when Rohit bhai came to the practice session, I couldn’t believe it at first sight. But then I was really curious, I wanted to know how he does what he does, how Rohit bhai has reached that level, and you know, won so many trophies for our country, I wanted to go through Rohit bhai’s routine. So I was watching him closely during practice, and one thing I noticed is that he likes to talk about cricket, and he’s always thinking about cricket,” Shedge said.
On the other hand, Mumbai youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi is still amazed by his 141-run opening partnership with the Hitman against Sikkim. In that match, Rohit Sharma scored a 94-ball 155, and the world remained stunned. Speaking on that, Raghuvanshi revealed how he enjoyed Rohit Sharma’s fireworks from the other end.
“I had the privilege of opening the innings with him, and we made a 140-run partnership together, out of which I got only 40 runs, and he was just stonking it all around the ground. I was leaving, I was defending, and then I just watched from the non-striker, and then he was smacking the bowlers, he was sweeping the fast bowlers, and it was just magical to watch from the non-striker, and I’ve never seen batting like that with someone who I batted with, he’s a legend,” Raghuvanshi said.
Navdeep Saini reveals the side of Virat Kohli fans rarely see
Virat Kohli’s so-called arrogance has long been a myth in the cricketing world, and Delhi bowler Navdeep Saini made a big revelation about this. Fans who have been following Indian cricket for some time now have always seen Kohli sitting in the front seat on the bus, but Delhi saw something different. Reflecting on another side of Kohli, Saini revealed how he turned into a backbencher.
“I will tell you about an incident in the team bus. As usual, bhaiya (Virat Kohli) sits in the front row. So, we had left the spot vacant for him on the first practice day, and we sat towards the back of the bus like backbenchers. However, he came and sat at the back with us, and we were really happy to see him. Then we had interesting conversations, and everyone enjoyed,” Saini said.
Virat Kohli stresses the importance of domestic cricket
The world has seen Kohli’s brilliance, but it all started when Delhi’s domestic cricket saw the first spark in him. Coming back to roots after years, nothing changed, just Virat Kohli transformed into King Kohli. Speaking about his influence, Delhi all-rounder Rohan Rana revealed how Kohli urged everyone to take domestic cricket seriously.
“Virat bhaiya’s advice was to take domestics seriously. He said this is the platform that helps you to reach higher, and don’t take it casually. He said if you’re on the field, always give 200%. And that is exactly what he himself did: he inspired us by putting in so much effort in a domestic match,” he said.
Playing just two matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli showcased their fire as the domestic stage witnessed their fury. As they return to the international arena, the big scores may still be loading, but their sheer presence already makes a massive difference.
.jpg?type=mq "Highest successful run-chases in SA20")
