Watch: When Virat Kohli saved his team from defeat despite losing his father the previous night

There are many shades of Virat Kohli.

The young and brash one, when he was a young gun. That guy who spewed expletives, yet that guy who wore his heart on his sleeve. That guy, who gave it as it came. That guy who went shoulder to shoulder and toe to toe with the very best in cricket. Not afraid, giving it as it came.

Yet, there’s that other side of him, which is more human, which he still does but this world might not understand.

He recently confided about mental health and fighting the demons but here’s one of those instances where this man, grieving at the loss of his father Prem Kohli, battled the emotions to rescue his team.

It was the Ranji Trophy — India’s premier domestic tournament, and Delhi, his home team, were facing heavyweights Karnataka, no less, at the Feroz Shah Kotla — the home team’s cauldron. Midway through the match, his father Prem passed away. Yet, Kohli, all of 18 then, in 2006, overcame that, with a rescue act, perhaps unimaginable.

After Karnataka had made an imposing 446, led by Robin Uthappa’s and Thilak Naidu’s imposing centuries, Kohli responded with a match-saving 90, aided by wicketkeeper Punit Bisht’s rearguard ton.

The game ended in a draw but that knock but Kohli spoke of not just adversity under pressure but the man he was, the man you could go to when everything damn thing is down.

His father was no more, and the last rites were in progress, but Kohli went ahead and played, expressing himself. His father Prem wouldn’t have wanted any less.

Not many amongst us mere mortals would perhaps do it, or maybe no one would, but Kohli felt this was the best way to pay tribute to his loving dad.

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