![Virat Kohli gets compared with Ronaldo by Pakistan great [Source:X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1772790757296_ViratKohligetscomparedwithRonaldobyPakistangreat(1).jpg?type=hq)
Virat Kohli gets compared with Ronaldo by Pakistan great [Source:X]
There is no doubt that even at the age of 37, India’s Virat Kohli is the fittest cricketer, and he was the pioneer of fitness in Indian cricket. Kohli, like any Delhi boy, started out as a chubby kid who enjoyed eating Chole Bhature in the streets, but in 2012, something changed inside him.
He realised that to become the best in the business, he needed to change his diet and concentrate more on fitness. As a result, Kohli adopted the lifestyle and training regime of Footballing icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, and eventually Kohli was placed at the Mount Rushmore of the fittest cricketers.
Mohammad Amir gives the highest compliment to Virat Kohli
Recently, in a talk show in Pakistan, called “Hasnaa Mana Hai”, one of the members from the audience asked Ahmed Shehzad, Rashid Latif, and Mohammad Amir about the player who has truly taken the game of Cricket to the next level, and has made it popular globally.
Rashid Latif, the former keeper-batter, answered, Sir Vivian Richards, while Shehzad stated that Younis Khan’s work ethic inspired the new Pakistan generation. Amir was quick to answer the question as he compared India’s Virat Kohli to Cristiano Ronaldo, stating that Kohli made Cricket popular globally, the way Ronaldo popularised Football.
"Virat Kohli has taken cricket to another level, just like the craze of Cristiano Ronaldo in football. Cricket has become more popular among people because of his discipline, ethics, and fitness," Mohammad Amir said.
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Why Kohli often gets compared with Ronaldo
For a long period of time, Cricket was only touted as the game of skills, and fitness was always a secondary part of it. However, in 2012, Kohli changed that and brought a new life to Indian cricket with his strict regimes. He left his favourite food, spent hours in the gym, and left all his cravings behind to become the best cricketer.
As Kohli himself said, the journey was tough, but he overcame the odds as the change in routine started to show the effects. He became the best player across formats, and fielding for 50 overs, and then batting for another 50 overs, became a normal routine for him.
This is a similar path that the Portuguese star, Ronaldo, took early in his career. He was a skinny boy when he first joined Manchester United in the Premier League. The league was physical, and the baller was left behind.
However, he worked countless hours in the gym, improved his physicality, and became the best in the world. His fitness standard is now the benchmark in the Footballing world, and the youngsters idolise him for that.
Both Kohli, Ronaldo have witnessed similar paths
When Kohli first burst onto the scene, there was Rohit Sharma present in the dressing room, who was touted as the next big talent after Sachin Tendulkar. Talent-wise, Rohit was miles ahead of Kohli, but the Delhi cricketer picked a path of his own as he realised that for him to succeed, hard work is the key.
He worked relentlessly, put in the hard yards, and eventually left everyone behind to stay at the top of the mountain for nearly a decade.
Similarly, when Ronaldo was getting better in Football, there was a certain Lionel Messi, the magician, who was given the status of the next big thing. Any other player would have put his guards down, but not Ronaldo. He worked hard on his ethics, put in extra yards in the gym, and competed with Messi for more than a decade as the two were the best in the business.
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