'You will shame yourself if you don't score 10,000 runs’ - Harbhajan Singh recalls motivating Virat Kohli

Since his U19 days, Virat Kohli was deemed the future star of the Indian cricket team. He busted into the international scene in 2008 but with the seniors still being there, it took him some time to get into the Test squad. He was in the scheme of things and 2011, he finally made his red-ball debut against West Indies at Kingston. 

However, neither the debut nor the three-match Test series went well for the cricketer. Pacer Fidel Edwards got the better of him multiple times, which resulted in Kohli doubting his abilities. Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who was Kohli’s teammate then, recalled that phase and stated that the cricketer was very disappointed with his performance. The former spinner then motivated and encouraged Kohli to push limits and stated he is good enough to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

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“If I tell you something about his Test cricket, at the very beginning. We were in the West Indies. On that tour, Fidel Edwards (former West Indies quick) had troubled him a lot, getting him out either LBW or against the short ball. He was getting out time and again, so obviously he was very disappointed,” Harbhajan shared in the Taruwar Kohli podcast. 

“He had self-doubt, questioned 'If I am good enough?' I told him 'You will shame yourself if you don't score 10,000 runs. You have the capability of scoring 10,000 runs in Test cricket. And if you don't, it'll be because of your own fault.' After that, what Kohli has done is a once-in-a-lifetime exception,” he added. 

Kohli has left an ever-lasting in Indian cricket: Harbhajan

Harbhajan shared that Kohli had the hunger to do well and win games for India - something that he had as well during his playing days. The 44-year-old added how the former India captain instilled a fighting spirit in the team, which resulted in multiple away victories and Kohli himself scoring important runs as he didn’t want to be an ordinary player.

“I have seen him change. His diet, his mindset – 'That I don't want to be just an ordinary player. I want to be someone who people will know for a long time.' The stubbornness I saw in myself, Kohli has a lot more of it. I want to be that guy winning games and scoring hundreds for India. He was scoring hundreds back-to-back in Australia. It was the first time India chasing 400 runs… and they are going after it. We may lose but we'll fight. That attitude of keep going, that's what makes you a player. Kohli has left an everlasting impact on Indian cricket," Harbhajan added.