Triumphing over trauma

Hours after his ailing father passed away, Virat Kohli comes out to score a gritty 90

Grit shines bright on the larger stage of world cricket given the publicity but on Tuesday an 18-year-old showed such extraordinary poise in a Ranji tie at Kotla that his feat may well eclipse any other display of courage by an Indian cricketer in recent memory.

Virat Kohli’s ailing father passed away in the wee hours of the morning. The right-hand bat’s team Delhi was going into the third day’s play tottering at 103 for five in response to Karnataka’s rampant first innings total of 446. Virat (40) and Punit Bisht (28) were the two batsmen on crease and the last defence for a certain follow-on for the home side.

Despite having been up the major part of the night tending to his father and given the pressing need to be present for the last rites today, Virat chose to come out and bat for his side notching a score of 90 before he left to attend to his duty as a son. Captain Mithun Minhas had insisted that the batsman attend to his family but Virat chose not to take the option and instead scripted a marvellous display of courage under pressure.  Such fortitude is rare. At the age of 18, it is incredible.

This is Virat’s first season in Ranji and he earned his berth in the side courtesy a knock of 251 in an under-17 local league match last year.