Virat Kohli turned 37 on Wednesday (November 5) and wishes poured in from across the cricketing world for the man who redefined modern batting. Among them, one message stood out - from his former teammate, 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh, who hailed Kohli with a line that sent fans into a frenzy:
“Once a King, always a King. Happy birthday @imVkohli. Sending you lots of love for a great year ahead. Stay blessed!” - Yuvraj Singh on X
They shared the dressing room from 2008 when Kohli made his debut until Yuvraj's final series in 2017. Their friendship, forged in hundreds of games together, is still relished by fans.
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From debut partners to World Cup champions
Yuvraj was part of India’s playing XI when Kohli made his ODI debut. When Yuvraj suffered an injury during the 2009 Champions Trophy, Kohli was called up as his replacement.
The duo went on to script history in India's 2011 World Cup triumph, with Yuvraj being named Player of the Tournament for his all-round brilliance, having notched up 362 runs and 15 wickets in the tournament while Kohli marked his World Cup debut with a century against Bangladesh. In the final, Kohli's composed 35 and Yuvraj's unbeaten 21 helped India lift the trophy after 28 years.
‘If Virat hadn’t supported me, I’d never have made a comeback’
Years later, Yuvraj would credit Kohli for standing by him during his final phase in international cricket. “When I made my comeback in the Indian team, Virat Kohli supported me a lot during his captaincy. If Virat hadn’t supported me, my comeback would never have happened,” Yuvraj said in a 2023 interview.
Under Kohli's captaincy, Yuvraj returned to the ODI squad in early 2017 and even played the Champions Trophy in England later that year before finally announcing his retirement from Indian cricket in 2019.
‘The boy who dreamed, the man who made it real’: RCB's tribute
The most touching post of the day came from Kohli's IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They shared an AI-generated video featuring "little Virat" speaking to the present-day star. They wrote on X:
“Celebrating the boy who dreamed, and the man who made it all come true. Little Virat dreamt it. King Kohli lived it. And the world watched in awe.”
In another post, RCB wrote,
"For the man who turned passion into poetry and fire into faith. Happy 37th Birthday, the game is richer because of you."
Finally, after 18 years as an RCB player, Virat Kohli finally lifted his first IPL trophy this year. As timelines were getting flooded with #KingKohli wishes, one thing was sure: no matter how many records he breaks or titles he wins, Virat Kohli's legacy isn't just about runs; it is about heart.
