Virat Kohli reveals why he admires Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo, says 'It's because...'

It is a well-known fact that Indian captain Virat Kohli is a die-hard fan of Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Kohli has expressed his respect for Ronaldo and the Juventus forward's hard work ethics on multiple occasions. Kohli recently stated in an interview with Sky Sports that he admires Ronaldo because of his 'longevity' and 'discipline'. Kohli revealed it to Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, who has been contracted by the British sports channel for the coverage of the India-England Test series. 

Kohli had previously stated that he admires Ronaldo's enthusiasm and determination for the game, as well as his ability to block unwarranted noise from the outside. While speaking to former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, the Delhi-born batsman has stated that while he admires Argentine striker Lionel Messi as well, Ronaldo's effort and hunger sets him apart from the rest. Kohli also plays with the same passion and vigour till the final ball of the game is delivered, and it shows in his approach and demeanour.

Kohli preparing for England series

Kohli is presently waiting for the five-match Test series against England to begin. The Indian skipper and his team was last spotted practising at the Trent Bridge stadium, where the first match of the series is slated to be held from August 4 onward. Kohli was not part of the squad that played a warm-up game against a County Select XI side lead by Will Rhodes. According to the BCCI, Kohli was advised to rest by team physio due to a stiff back.

After the Test series against England, Kohli will travel with the Indian contingent to the UAE for the remainder of IPL 2021, where he will assume captaincy of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Following the conclusion of the cash-rich tournament, the Indian squad will regroup again for the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE. 

India’s squad for England Tests: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav.

(Image Credit: AP/PTI)