“Kohli kicked me and said, you are in the Indian squad,” Ishant Sharma recalls with nostalgia prior to the match between GT and DC.

Ishant Sharma, a former Indian bowler, thought back on his friendship with Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli, which stretches back to their early Delhi cricket days. The bowler related a humorous story about how Kohli cleverly told him about his first India call-up.

On May 18, the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will play each other in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Speaking candidly about their time together as Under-19s, the right-arm bowler emphasised how Kohli has always had a particular place in his heart. The former Indian captain is different for him than for everyone else, he said.

“The team’s name appeared when we made our India debut. “Your name has come,” he said as he kicked me. Will you actually play for India, he asked? “Let me sleep, brother,” Sharma stated in the Star Sports Press Room.

“The star, Virat Kohli, is for outsiders, in my opinion. We played in the U-17s, so I can’t picture him acting that way. I’ve known him since we were kids. We used to count our money when we were in the U-19s. We used to have meals. We used to save our teaching assistants and bring them along when we went to the U-19s. Virat Kohli is hence unique to each individual. For me, he is different,” Ishant said.

We referred to him as Kohli: Ishant.

Despite his remarkable career achievements, the 36-year-old bowler admitted that Kohli has stayed the same person. He revealed that they used to call him Cheeku and went on to say that, at the end of the day, Kohli is still a human guy regardless of how successful he becomes.

“Consider how far your sibling has come. Everyone thinks he’s fantastic. However, you will discover that he is ultimately a human being. Ultimately, you have spent a great deal of time with him. You are well acquainted with him. You are aware of his origins, his characteristics, and his shortcomings. He never struck me as being like Virat Kohli. He is Cheeku to us. This is how we’ve always seen things. He’s seen me like this, too. We’re sharing a room and sleeping together,” he said.