Ishant Sharma shares memories of Virat Kohli’s incredible focus and aura during their cricketing careers together

Originally posted on Crictoday | By V.M.Suriya Narayanan | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 10:06 AM ET

India speedster Ishant Sharma reflected on his playing days and opined on Virat Kohli’s qualities. He said Kohli displayed unmatched focus, never allowing distractions off the pitch to influence his performance.

During his appearance on the Raj Shamani podcast, Ishant spoke about the “legendary aura”. While he played with several renowned names, Kohli stood apart.

“When I started my career, I felt every player had an aura, and was a legend. However, Virat Kohli was above all,” Ishant said.

Ishant recalled Kohli’s resilience in tough situations, citing a Ranji Trophy game where Kohli chose to play despite the loss of his father, Prem Kohli.

“His mindset was always clear, I’m here, I will get the job done. Nothing affected his game. No matter what was happening around him, once he stepped out to bat, he was certain to score runs. He’s always been that way, if he returned late at night at 2 or 3 AM, or had batted through the night, the next day he would still go out and deliver,” Ishant added.

He further praised Kohli’s dedication to fitness, which he believes prolonged the batter’s career.

“I believe he realized that fitness was important. He knew it would help him extend his career, sharpen his reflexes, and raise his fielding standards. That transformation started in 2011, after the World Cup and the IPL,” Ishant explained.

This article first appeared on Crictoday and was syndicated with permission.

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