Latest news with #Virat
Deccan Herald
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Deccan Herald
Grateful Hameed recalls Kohli's kind gesture
Haseeb Hameed went through extremely tough times after being banished from the England side following a horror Ashes performance where he posted six consecutive single‑digit scores. It was a time Hameed didn't know what was happening to his game when he reached out to Virat Kohli, whose response gave the youngster the confidence he needed. 'Actually, within the cricketing circle, I'd say, like, Virat's actually been super helpful,' Hameed said. 'He's, you know, every time I've kind of had any sort of query or question about batting, he's been more than willing to give his time. And yeah, it's not just kind of a short period of time. He's happy to go as long as we need.' 'Honestly, I've got a lot of respect for him. Always have had it. But yeah, in terms of what he's done for me as a person, as a player, even through my difficult moments, I think speaks a lot about him as a character and his kind of humility and the way he goes about things.' Haseeb took Kohli's number when the then India skipper met him at Mohali after he had fractured his little finger on his left hand. 'Virat, in that first tour, playing against him, being lucky enough to kind of speak to him at the end of my tour, obviously when I had my injury, he was kind enough to spare me a few moments after the end of that Test match. 'I mean, he's probably the biggest superstar in the game, maybe even ever, if you look at his kind of social media following. So for him to be so willing to kind of give his time and personal space to someone, he didn't need to do that. 'I was a young kid, 19‑years‑old. He didn't need to do that. But the fact that he was so willing and able to do that was, speaks testament to him as a character.'
NDTV
14 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Ravi Bishnoi Snubs MS Dhoni, Names Indian Cricketer He Idolises From Fitness Standpoint
Over the last decade or so, Indian cricket has set some phenomenal standards of fitness. More often than not, those fitness standards have also helped players push their ceiling and achieve historic results on the cricket field. Every newcomer in the team looks up to a certain player, be it form the bowling or batting standpoint or even fielding. For India leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, 36-year-old Virat Kohli remains the man he looks up to from the perspective of fitness, even though a 44-year-old MS Dhoni is still an active cricketer. "I look up to Virat Bhai [Virat Kohli], he is very fit. You can see his aggression on the field and off the field. When he bats or fields, you can see that energy, which fitness brings to your game, you get an extra push from it," Bishnoi said in a chat with ANI "I idolise him in fitness. I can't go to his level, but I try to get close to him," the star India spinner added. Virat remains one of the fittest cricketers India have had but is no longer an active player in T20Is and Tests. In fact, it was days before the India squad for the England Test series was announced that Kohli decided to quit the red-ball format. Questions have arose over his decision, with many former cricketers and experts saying that Virat still had a lot more to offer. As the Shubman Gill -led Indian team looks to beat England in their own den, commentators and analysts have often recalled how Virat used to function in such surroundings. "Finding a way of creating an event throughout a session to change the course of the game. For me, India has to start believing. This is where the likes of Virat Kohli were unbelievable," former England pacer Steve Harmison said while asserting what sort of the different Virat would've made in the Lord' Test that India lost. "In a fourth innings chase, Kohli goes and wins the game comfortably. He would have won that game comfortably at Lord's," Harmison added.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Virat Kohli revealed Anushka Sharma made 'massive sacrifices' as a mother; called her 'a big inspiration': 'Whatever problems I had were nothing'
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma 's love story is one that fans never get tired of hearing. From their first meeting during a commercial shoot to becoming proud parents of two children, their journey is full of love, support, and inspiration. Whether they are seen cheering each other on at events, sharing moments on social media, or speaking lovingly in interviews, the couple has always shown what real partnership looks like. A wedding to remember After dating for a few years and keeping their relationship mostly private, Virat and Anushka got married on 11 December 2017. The wedding was a small and beautiful ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, attended by close family and friends. Their love story continued to grow as they welcomed their daughter Vamika on 11 January 2021. Then, on 15 February 2024, they became parents again with the birth of their son Akaay. Virat on Anushka's role as a mother In a past podcast with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Virat opened up about how Anushka's role as a mother made him reflect deeply. 'The way things have been in the past two years, we have had our child and, as a mother, the sacrifices that she made have been massive. Looking at her, I realised whatever problems I had were nothing. As far as expectations are concerned, as long as your family loves you for who you are, you don't expect much because that is the basic requirement,' said Virat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Redefine Your Future with a Top Online MBA SRM Online Enquire Now Undo Virat calls Anushka a big inspiration Virat didn't stop there. He also spoke about how Anushka inspires him every day. According to him, the changes in his life began when he fell in love with her. He added, 'When you look for inspiration, you start from home and, obviously, Anushka has been a big inspiration for me. My life had a completely different perspective. When you fall in love with a person, you start processing those changes within you as well. Her outlook towards life was different and it urged me to change for the better and become more accepting of things. ' Anushka's film journey Anushka Sharma has always been known for her strong performances in films like 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi', 'PK', 'Band Baaja Baaraat', 'Sultan' and 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'. Her last major film role was in the 2018 movie 'Zero', where she starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif . After that, she stepped away from the big screen for a while. However, she did make a short appearance in the 2022 OTT film 'Qala', she was seen in the song 'Ghodey Pe Sawaar', which fans loved as a sweet surprise. So far, there have been no official updates about Anushka's upcoming projects.
India.com
4 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
Rohit Sharma - Virat Kohlis Comeback Delayed As India Unlikely To Play Sri Lanka : Report
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appears disinterested in scheduling a white-ball series against Sri Lanka, as per information gathered by Sports Tak, which suggests the tour is now unlikely to take place. No India vs Sri Lanka White-Ball Series? After the postponement of India's tour to Bangladesh originally including three ODIs and three T20Is Sports Tak previously reported that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) expressed a desire to host India for a similar series during the same window. At least two cricket boards, including SLC, reportedly approached the BCCI with proposals to fill the vacant slot in India's international calendar. India's tour to Bangladesh, initially scheduled for August, has now been moved to September 2026. In response, SLC officially proposed to host India for a six-match white-ball series comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. However, in a recent development, a senior source closely involved in the matter informed Sports Tak that the series is now "unlikely." "We will decide about the series but it looks unlikely," the source told Sports Tak. This uncertainty may further delay the return of senior Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the ODI format. Both players have already announced their retirements from Test and T20I cricket, making the upcoming ODI series against Australia in October their next international appearance. Following the Australia series, India is also set to host South Africa for a three-match ODI series starting November 25. All of these fixtures will take place after the Asia Cup 2025. The BCCI is expected to consult with the Indian government regarding India's participation in the tournament. As a backup plan, the United Arab Emirates remains an option to host the event. The tournament is expected to begin on September 5, with the high-profile clash between India and Pakistan tentatively scheduled for September 7. Rohit and Virat were last seen in the Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand where India clinched the trophy winning Champions Trophy for second time. Earlier India won it in 2013, Rohit Sharma was the man of the match in the 2025 final while Virat top scored in 2013 final against England.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Ex Team India coach on Bumrah: 'A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year'
For five years, strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai was the behind-the-scenes man for several of India's conquests. The man from Valsad talks to The Indian Express about the human touch behind the data and analytics of ensuring players stay optimally fit for important series, conditioning Jasprit Bumrah and the workings of different head coaches during his tenure. Excerpts: First, there was this natural and gradual relationship getting cultivated with the current crop of players (Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, etc) right from their India A tours, NCA days and the Indian team. It helped me understand them better as individuals, based on which I was able to formulate plans to groom them. The goal was to make them independent, self aware and autonomous— self-sufficient to handle themselves as high performing athletes, knowing when to do what and identifying the red flags early. To start sleeping at 10.30, wear health bands, check recoveries, basically adopting elite high-performance athletes' lifestyle and routine. Over four successive ICC tournaments since 2022, we had 100% player availability. We have to set plans 6-8 months, 9 months, at times 12 months in advance, so that they peak at the right time for the right games in the right venues. I have been with him since 2014, when he was on RTP from his ACL injury, from his Gujarat Ranji Trophy days. He is special, a gifted guy who has worked immensely to become one of a kind. To manage guys like him we need a cohesive, collective and collaborative approach with a long-term vision driving the decisions, and ideally with great consistency in personnel around him. The All Blacks, the famous rugby team of New Zealand, had only one S&C for more than a decade and he oversees the prep for the guys even when they go to their states. One guy, one team, one approach, one vision working through years. A similar thing happened with Pat Cummins. He faced several setbacks at the start of his career. Then he was pulled back and one set of professionals worked on him for 2-4 seasons. Bumrah is an asset and needs to be handled smartly. A small team needs to handle him, prepare him for surgical strikes a few times a year and be smart around him at other times. What were the approaches of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to fitness? People assume Rohit doesn't work hard on his fitness. Given his history, for him to lead at the highest level for four years with a game or two missed is significant. He cannot do that by fluke, right? He must be doing something right. Can he get better? Yes, 100%. He will be the first one to say that. But to assume that he doesn't work hard is a bit much. What should I say about Virat? It has been an honour to coach a student like him. A model athlete. He started out wanting to be the best, he got there through sheer will. He was aggressive, hungry and wanted to be number one. Both Rohit and Virat had the same team vision—to dominate world cricket —they approached it differently. Was there any pressure from certain sections not to rest any players? Everyone who is involved in Indian cricket knows that there are a lot of factors involved, the team combination, results, workload, etc etc. There is pressure from everywhere to make everyone play every game. This is not realistically possible, especially for all-format guys. At some stage everyone needs to be looked after so that we get them back in prime shape for important assignments. It is our job to chart out plans based on data points and present it to the captain and coach. Then they take things forward. Rohit and Rahul bhai [Dravid], they understood the bigger picture and the vision of what we were trying to do really well. When was your knowledge tested the most professionally? During the 2021 Test tour of England, we had three weeks of complete off and a 15-day prep camp in Durham. There was a clear directive from Ravi Shastri that he wanted all the fast bowlers ready to play all five Tests. During a conversation with Ravi bhai, I mentioned a different plan. Something on the lines of, 'Ravi Bhai, baaki sab toh theek hai, but can we be smart with Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma? For their maximum impact, we need to plan for 3/5 games, Umesh and Bumrah for 4/5 and Siraj going for 5/5.' This was just to have all guys operating at 100% for all games and to use them at venues where their skillset is more suited. We set out with this plan. How different were Shastri and Dravid? They are both different individuals, with different approaches but with eye on similar end goals—building a culture/team that dominates world cricket. Ravi bhai used to be precise, direct and clear in his requirements. Then it was on us to work with (Bharat) Arun sir and (R) Sridhar sir and get things done. But he will keep a close eye and notice everything. Rahul bhai would sit down to understand things in detail. He will first lay out a plan, explain what we are trying to do as a team, this is how we are going to do it, this is where you come in, etc etc. Then it is on us to make plans that compliment the team's plan and if there is a situation that may impact the team's plan, we would communicate and he would always be receptive. Essentially, he was involved and had a bird's eye view on the entire operation. What exactly is the method for predicting or anticipating an injury or stopping them? Predicting I am not too sure. It's more hitting in the dark. Anticipating an injury is something reasonably possible if we have multiple data points correlating and pointing in the same direction. Fortunately I have seen most of these boys in their developmental years, except maybe Rohit, Virat or Jaddu. So I have reference points around these guys. I know how a 100% fit Hardik (Pandya), Siraj, Gill, Axar or Bumrah would move and look like. I have seen them operate under fatigue, the problems they face when they come into a series/game having not done enough, etc etc. So, based on these, along with being fully involved, observant and being aware, you can infer if something is not looking ideal. When do you anticipate the players are fatigued? I have spent enough time around them to know how they respond to different types and volumes of loads. For example, X player, if he is fatigued, he will start to develop tightness around a particular spot. That's a sign. Another guy has this one adductor, which will start to show up if his reserves are depleted. He will be on the physio table frequently, etc, etc. Everyone has a giveaway sign. How does this GPS and band which players wear work? GPS helps us to collect the running data of each player. 'Band' is to make the guys more accountable. You get to know the relationship between strain/effort and recovery, some data around sleep, the heart-rate metrics, what's the strain on him and what has he done to achieve recovery or not. Our mornings start with touching base on the data with the guys. What do you track on gps? How do you then communicate to the players what they should do? Let's say, Shubman has scored 80 today and his fielding to add, his GPS will have all the running data. Total distance covered, distance covered in various zones (walking, jogging, striding, sprinting) at various speeds. Gill's high-speed running ceiling, his best on record is say 32 kph, then we will see how much he has run around that mark. This reveals if he is pushed or not, if yes how much and what exact intensity at which he has accumulated the day's running loads. Based on this, his recovery plans for that evening are put in place. If there is too much volume around his peak speed, then we have different interventions. If it is moderate or low, then the plan changes. Over years we know what to do in a particular situation. The warm-up and prep the following day also changes based on what has happened today and how he wakes up the next day. How do you work with contracted guys who are not picked in the team? For instance Siraj at the start of the year… Whether they are prepping for an ongoing series or they are in the loop to be featured in the upcoming one, they need to be on a plan to be fully ready. This happens round the year. Siraj had a tough start to the year. He was devastated and unmotivated. In these moments, the relationship built over the years comes into play. We are able to have those honest/tough conversations and move forward with intent. A proper nine-week plan was laid out. It covered the one-off Ranji game, a break from training and bowling, then gradually built up to IPL whilst also being ready as standby for Champions Trophy. Pujara said that during the Gabba Test of 2021, he was hit on his finger and it was decided not to go for a scan as it can have a psychological impact… Pujara himself and maybe Nitin Patel took the call. Many times calls are taken in the best interest of the team. In the Champions Trophy a player hurt his hamstring. But he played three games and had a major impact. When the real time comes, these guys dig deep and have always stood up for the team. So has the physios who support these decisions, which can easily backfire. Is it tough to deal with players who come from different backgrounds? That is the beauty of working with the Indian Team. It is a challenge like no other and yet the most exciting part. One has to lead by example, build trust and understand the background of each individual. Unlike in SENA countries, where the entire nation has a similar upbringing or exposure growing up, we have guys coming from myriad backgrounds and on different timelines in their journey of exposure to life in general. Moreover, the diet, the systems and the culture are different in each state. Therefore, each guy is unique in terms of training, age and training history. We have to be subjective and bespoke most times.
