Virat Kohli Shares a Secret: How Dhoni and Kirsten Gave Him His Big Break

With everyone talking about his future in one-day cricket, Virat Kohli just shared a wonderful story from his early days. It’s a look back at how two very important people—captain MS Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten—saw something special in him and gave him the chance that changed his life.

"We Trust You," They Said

Speaking on the RCB podcast, Virat went back in time to the days before the 2011 World Cup. He was still a young player trying to make his mark. He revealed that Dhoni and Kirsten called him and told him they wanted him to bat at the crucial number three spot. But it wasn’t because he was the best batsman, technically.

"Gary and MS made it very clear to me," Virat said. "They told me, 'We are backing you to play at number three... Your energy on the field, the way you get involved, that's what we value the most.'"

Imagine hearing that from your captain and coach! For a young Virat, this was a huge confidence booster. They didn't want him to be someone else; they just wanted him to be himself.

"I Knew I Wasn't the Most Talented"

One of the best parts of the story is how honest Virat was about his own skills back then. He admitted that he didn’t think he was a natural genius with the bat.

"I was never looked upon as a match-winner who could just change a game," he explained. "But I had this one thing: I would always stay in the fight. I would never give up. And that’s what they backed."

He said that this "never give up" attitude was his real strength. It was the thing that helped him work harder, improve his batting, and eventually become the world-class player he is today. "I wanted to be the best," he said. "That hunger is what helped me improve."

All Eyes on the Australia Series

This story comes just as Virat is getting ready to play one-day cricket for India again after a long break. He and Rohit Sharma are both in the team for the series against Australia. There have been a lot of whispers about whether this might be the last time we see these legends in ODIs. But with this story, Virat reminds everyone of the fighter inside him.

The tour is a short but important one, featuring three ODIs against a tough Australian side on their home turf.

India vs. Australia ODI Schedule 2025

India's ODI Squad for Australia Tour

Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur.