Bridgetown, Barbados – April Fool’s Day had come and gone. On April 2, 2011, a young and chubby Indian cricket star spoke his most famous words on a glorious night for his country.
The then 22-year-old Virat Kohli carried the country’s most famous cricketing son – Sachin Tendulkar – on his shoulders after India won their second Cricket World Cup title and as the players received a thunderous ovation in a lap of honor at the iconic Wankhede. Stadium in Mumbai.
“Sachin Tendulkar has carried Indian cricket on his shoulders for 21 years,” Kohli said. “Well, it was only right that we carried him on our shoulders after this victory.”
Of all the words Kohli has spoken – and there have been many – these have stuck with him throughout his 15-year career.
It was a statement by India’s new hero in honor of his predecessor.
No one has come close to attaining the deified air of the ‘Little Master’ except the man known today as ‘King Koli’. And maybe no one ever does.
But such reverence comes with expectation. And after more than a decade of stupendous achievements in both the 50-over and T20 World Cups, Kohli is in uncharted territory.
India are in the final of a World Cup and their favorite superstar is short of runs. Has India got past Kohli in this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, till the final?
He has scored just 75 runs in seven innings, including two ducks, and has been overshadowed by every other member of India’s top batting line-up.
“Form is temporary, class is permanent”
It is a far cry from his exploits at other World Cups of the past decade, in which India failed to qualify in the summer despite Kohli’s individual heroics taking them to the knockout stages.
He was the tournament’s top scorer (319 runs) the last time India played in a T20 World Cup final in 2014, but India went down and Sri Lanka lifted the trophy.
Kohli also topped the charts (765 runs) six months ago when India stormed into a home 50-over World Cup final but left with broken hearts as Australia won their sixth title.
Tendulkar is the only batsman to have scored more runs than Kohli in 50-over World Cups, with 2,278 runs to Kohli’s 1,795. And no one has scored more than Kohli’s 1,216 runs in the T20 version of the tournament, although Rohit Sharma, currently on 1211, may overtake him at the Kensington Oval in Saturday’s final against South Africa.
There were many memorable performances. The 82 not out in the 2016 T20 World Cup against Australia, holding India’s innings together when India were in trouble at Mohali, or the century against Bangladesh at Mirpur in 2011.
There was another century against Pakistan in 2015.
And hundreds in 2023 against Bangladesh in Pune and Kolkata when they face South Africa. In the same tournament, he broke hero Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries in the semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai.
And who could forget his unbeaten 82 off 53 deliveries against Pakistan in 2022? That check run for six at the MCG is forever etched in the collective memories of cricket fans.
Kohli’s World Cup record is amazing, may never be bettered. No wonder his frugal returns in this year’s tournaments have been tempered by those around him.
“Virat is a marquee player for us, there’s no doubt about that,” India coach Rahul Dravid said during his press conference in Guyana before India left for the final in Barbados.
“He’s been through a tough time, but we all know the kind of charge he brings to the table. Form is temporary, but class is permanent. I have no doubt that he will rise to the occasion when it counts most.”
![India's Virat Kohli reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket during the ICC Cricket World Cup Men's T20 cricket match between the United States and India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, Wednesday, June 12 2024. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AP24164595982117-1718210305.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513)
![India's Virat Kohli reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket during the ICC Cricket World Cup Men's T20 cricket match between the United States and India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, Wednesday, June 12 2024. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AP24164595982117-1718210305.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C513)
“Huge contribution from Virat”
Former India player Deep Dasgupta believes Kohli’s acceptance of mediocre scores while adopting the team’s aggressive batting approach in this tournament reflects a change in the national cricketing psyche.
“I think that’s the difference between India in the past and the India of this tournament,” Dasgupta told Al Jazeera on the eve of the final.
“He hasn’t scored as many runs as people would like, but we in India are so obsessed with individual numbers, fifties, 100s and averages.
The former India captain believes that Kohli’s contributions to Indian cricket go far beyond the numbers and that the 35-year-old with great fitness has changed the cricketing culture of the country.
“There was a huge contribution from Virat to say, ‘You know what? It’s not about what one person does, it’s about what a team does.”
Dasgupta believes Kohli deserves more credit than he has been given.
“We are undermining that contribution from Virat, even though he may not have had as many runs, but the way he is batting is exactly what he and the team want.”
India captain and Kohli’s long-time opening partner Rohit Sharma has spoken about Kohli’s importance to the team on countless occasions during the tournament.
“Virat is a quality player. Any player can pass it [the lack of runs] but we understand his class and his importance in all these big games,” Rohit said, after India’s semi-final win over England on Thursday.
“Form is never a problem when you play cricket for 15 years. He looks good, the intention is there and he’s probably saving it for the final.”
And if India lift the trophy at Kensington Oval, perhaps it would be fitting if Kohli – however many runs he scores – finds himself doing a lap of honor on the shoulders of others, 13 years after lifting Tendulkar single-handedly.
The last jewel is missing from the king’s crown 👑
Virat Kohli is one step away from #T20 World Cup glory 👀 pic.twitter.com/wmIBgrJHDU
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 28, 2024