Harbhajan Singh recalls urging Kohli to surpass Dravid
Harbhajan Singh says he told Kohli in 2008 that he must surpass Rahul Dravid to justify his talent.
Harbhajan Singh said he told Virat Kohli in 2008 that the youngster would not justify his talent unless he broke Rahul Dravid's international run tally. The former spinner made the remark during Kohli's debut ODI series against Sri Lanka, where the right-hander scored 159 runs including a half-century. Kohli has since passed Dravid and now sits second on the all-time international run-scoring list with 28,527 runs.
Harbhajan spoke on the Prakhar Gupta podcast and praised Kohli for changing Indian cricket's approach to fitness and fielding. He said no one takes Indian cricket's fielding lightly anymore and credited Kohli entirely for the improvement. The off-spinner noted that Kohli's hunger remains the same as when he started his career.
Kohli will feature in India's five-match ODI series against New Zealand that begins on 4 November. Harbhajan said Kohli's passion to win matches for India sets him apart from other players and continues to drive his performances.
CricHubb Take
Harbhajan's early challenge to Kohli reveals how peer pressure within the dressing room can accelerate a young player's trajectory more effectively than external expectations.