KOLKATA: While Eden Gardens rose, saluted and cheered the superstar Virat Kohli on Saturday, the 27-year-old champion batsman bowed to another great at the end of India’s triumph over Pakistan.
He was Sachin Tendulkar.
An emotional Kohli said it was very difficult to explain the feeling of his respect to the Little Master. “I started playing watching him and seeing him in the stands, and to able to do (perform) in front of 90,000 people against Pakistan, that too in a crucial game like this, was a memorable moment for me. He (Tendulkar) was celebrating. I can’t explain that feeling. As a child, I have seen him do that for India and now I have got the opportunity to do that in front of him. It is a feeling that can’t be described,’’ he told TV commentators after the match against arch-rivals.
VVS Laxman said that he was not surprised by Kohli’s acknowledgement. “Sachin has inspired millions of cricketers. A lot of the batsmen play the game because of him. So, Sachin’s influence has been big on Kohli.’’
The former Indian star pointed out that Tendulkar was a very big admirer of Kohli. “Sachin was a big match player. I always believed that Sachin wanted to improve as a player and he sees that in Virat’s batting. That is the reason you might have seen the big smile and a sense of satisfaction in Sachin’s face whenever Virat plays a big knock such as this.’’