Virat Kohli’s success stems not only from his self-belief and drive to be the best but also from the support he received from professionals like Basu Shanker, the strength and conditioning coach of RCB. Kohli’s legacy will be remembered for his batting prowess and unparalleled dedication to fitness. He revolutionised fitness in Indian cricket, pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks while consistently performing with the bat, breaking records, and leading his team to victory.
Witnessing Virat Kohli’s training session is enough to leave anyone breathless. His unparalleled energy, intensity, dedication, and unwavering desire to push his limits, even during practice sessions, are unmatched. Despite playing international cricket for almost 15 years, Kohli maintains the same intensity. The question on everyone’s mind is how does he do it? Kohli’s success can be attributed to his traits, such as his unwavering self-belief and drive to be the best, and his professional support. Basu Shanker, the strength and conditioning coach of RCB, has been a crucial part of Kohli’s fitness revolution.
During a recent episode of the RCB Podcast Season 2, Basu shared some insights into Kohli’s fitness regime and how it has influenced other cricketers.
Virat Kohli is credited by Basu Shanker, the strength and conditioning coach of RCB, for sparking the passion for fitness in Indian cricket. In 2015, Kohli asked Basu to take on a more significant role and develop a new training template after experiencing a stiff back in 2014. Despite working with athletes from various disciplines, Basu was impressed by Kohli’s unwavering dedication to his fitness regime.
During a conversation with Basu Shanker, Virat Kohli expressed his desire to be trained like an individual athlete rather than a cricketer. Basu used Novak Djokovic as an example and asked Kohli to train like an Olympic athlete. Kohli’s dedication and passion for excellence amazed Basu, and he was able to implement his fitness regime effectively. Kohli’s commitment to fitness was also a source of inspiration for other players like Dinesh Karthik, who Basu compared to Ryan Giggs for his resilience and robustness on the cricket field. Basu believes that once the captain is convinced, getting the message across to the rest of the team becomes more accessible.
