Former India skipper and maverick batter, Virat Kohli is gearing up to don the national jersey for the 500th time in his career. The Indian superstar will achieve the landmark when he walks out on the field for the second Test match against West Indies in Trinidad. Kohli will become only the 10th player to play 500 matches in his international career. Notably, batting great Sachin Tendulkar holds the record of featuring in most international matches (664).
Virat Kohli will be the fourth Indian to play 500 international matches after Indian players Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and MS Dhoni.
India head coach Rahul Dravid, who is also among the handful of cricketers to play more than 500 international matches, reflected on Kohli's journey and lauded the champions batter for his service to the country and for inspiring young boys and girls.
"I think it is fantastic and he (Kohli) is an inspiration to so many players within this team and to so many boys and girls back home in India," Dravid said ahead of the second Test against the West Indies.
"His numbers and his stats speak for themselves and his performances are all there in the (record) books.
"For me what has been great to see first-hand is the effort and the willing and the work he puts in behind the scenes when no one is watching and that is reflected in the fact that he has been able to play 500 games.
"He is still going very strong, is very fit and the energy and enthusiasm he brings to the game in spite of playing 500 games and being around here for 12 or 13 years now," he added.
Reflecting on Kohli's journey, Dravid also noted the sacrifices made by the former captain in order to establish himself as one of the greatest of all time. Dravid also spoke about Kohli's longevity which has come only after a ton of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
"It is truly fantastic and it has not come easy. It has come because of a lot of hard work behind the scenes and a lot of sacrifices he has made throughout his career and is willing to continue to make," Dravid continued.
"That is something that is great for a coach as you can see a lot of the young players look at that and be inspired by that and you don’t need to say anything.
“Just by the way you conduct yourself and the way you carry yourself, the way you go about practices, the way you go about your fitness, it becomes an inspiration for a lot of young players that are coming through the system and hopefully they are inspired by Virat.
"Longevity comes with a lot of hard work, discipline and adaptability and he has shown all of that, so long may it continue," the Indian coach added.
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