From getting nickname Chiku to revealing about his cervical spine issue, Virat Kohli talks to Kevin Pietersen

Kohli said, "We managed to get away to a farm just before the lockdown. There is some space here. It is heartbreaking to see. People are having a tough time".

When asked what he is missing most about being footloose, he said, "I am not missing much. My brother called me from our house in Gurugram. He is using the gym for the first time. I told him welcome to our life".

“We have never been at one place for so long. It’s bizarre. It’s not a good thing to single out something like this as an opportunity to spend together.

"But it’s what it is. We are being cautious and staying positive. If not for this, I’d be hanging out with you at Chinnaswamy stadium.”

Pieterson told Kohli how was sitting next to the experienced players as he was always the inquisitive kind.

The captain replied, " Yeah it was a great opportunity. I wanted to learn from the big players. You came in at the prime of your career. There were Kallis, Dravid and so many others. I wanted to learn and be the best of myself. If someone told me 12 years later these will be your number I would have told him to get lost".

"I got this nickname from a coach in the Ranji Trophy. I used to have big cheeks then. In 2007 I thought I was losing hair. I got my hair cropped and my cheeks and ear stood out. I got the name from a cartoon character. The rabbit in the comic Champak".

Kohli answers why RCB have not one even one IPL. He said, "Big players in the team, there will be attention on the team. With big players, we will always be in the focus. 

"We have reached 3 finals, not won, but then, those things are irrelevant, until you win the title. Even with the best team, we have not win. There is a team goal, we deserve to win the title.

"I think the more you try to do something, it tends to move away from you. I think we need to get the joy back into the team and not try and look to set goals".

Kohli talks about his India stint: "Look, I started playing in 2008. I saw 2009, 10 and 11, 2011 is when we won the world cup. 2012 when we came to England, we lost badly. 2012 in Australia was difficult as well.

"Natural transition happens everywhere. I was in the centre. I saw how the world was changing. I was lucky, I had people with similar age playing together. We have competed all over the world. The vision and goal have aligned."

What's the biggest issue for India travelling abroad, Kohli said, "Now travelling abroad and playing at home is more or less same. You travel so much. It is not about alien conditions anymore. It is about managing mental pressure".

He also spoke if he is playing too much cricket: "I take breaks, last 2-3 seasons, I took a break. Did not want to miss Test cricket, there was T20s which had no significance. 3 formats for nine years, along with captaincy for 6 years. It is not easy, for the next 2 -3 years till the next World Cup, will give it all, then figure out which format suits me and all that".

Kohli explains exactly why he went vegetarian and his cervical spine issue. He said, "Left eating meat just before the 2018 England Test series. When we went to South Africa in 2018, I got a cervical spine issue. Gave me a tingling sensation, hurting like mad. I could not sleep at night. 

"My body was too acidic, creating too much uric acid. Bones got weaker, hence, I stopped eating meat in the middle of England tour, have not felt better before. Never felt better waking up, never felt better recovering between Test matches. being vegetarian has completely changed. You feel lighter, your body changes.

In the interview, Kohli kept bringing out the topic of him taking KP’s wicket. He reminded KP and said, "I am the only bowler to have picked up a wicket without bowling a legitimate delivery. It was zero balls and one wicket. You were so embarrassed that you didn’t even look at me".