Virat Kohli’s journey from a promising young cricketer to one of the greatest batters of all time has been nothing short of extraordinary. Bursting onto the scene after leading India to an Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2008, Kohli joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the early years of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he shared the dressing room with several seasoned international stars including South Africa’s legendary wicketkeeper-batter, Mark Boucher.

Recently, Boucher reflected on his early conversations with Kohli and revealed how he planted the seed that would push the youngster to dream beyond the ordinary by invoking the name of cricketing demigod, Sachin Tendulkar.

“You’re Talented… Why Not Be the Next Sachin?”

Speaking on Kohli’s development in the formative years, Boucher recalled a specific conversation. “I just said, ‘Virat, you're very talented and very young. You've got the IPL ahead of you now. Sachin Tendulkar started off at a very young age too. Who’s to say you couldn’t be the next Sachin?’” said Boucher.

While he never imagined how far Kohli would go, the South African star recognised the spark in the young Indian. “I didn’t know he’d take it this far and create his own legacy, but I saw the potential,” he added.

Helping Kohli Face His Weakness

Boucher also spoke about assisting Kohli with one of the more technical aspects of his game—the short ball. “He asked me, ‘Bach, can you help me?’ I said yes, and we worked on some techniques using tennis balls. Coming from South Africa, where you face a lot of pace and bounce, I shared what I could,” he recalled.

Kohli: A Record-Breaking Titan of the IPL

The young player Boucher once mentored has since transformed into the IPL’s most prolific batter. With 8,509 runs from 255 innings, including eight centuries and 62 half-centuries, Kohli’s name is now etched in cricketing history. His average of 39.57 in the world’s premier T20 league is a testament to the consistency and evolution of a player who was once told he could be “the next Sachin” and ended up becoming the first Kohli.

What began with a few words of motivation and a couple of tennis balls turned into a journey of greatness that redefined Indian cricket for an entire generation.