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Join UsFormer New Zealand cricketer Ross Taylor has likened Virat Kohli’s influence in the sports world to that of football legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. With a staggering 269 million followers on Instagram, Kohli’s reach extends far beyond the cricketing community.
Taylor highlighted how cricketers like Kohli have transcended their sport to become global ambassadors, influencing not only cricket but the broader sports culture. Despite Ronaldo and Messi boasting more than double Kohli’s Instagram following, Taylor insists that Kohli’s impact is just as significant.
On the ‘180 Not Out’ podcast, Taylor remarked:
“Players are putting out posts endorsing products and things like that. Who would have thought of that in 2008? Someone like Kohli, who is a superstar in the world of cricket, but is also a global superstar in the world of sports. In terms of Instagram and social media, he’s up there with Ronaldo and Messi!”
While acknowledging the privacy challenges that come with increased social media presence, Taylor believes that cricketers are not critiqued as harshly as movie stars and other celebrities, which might be beneficial for their public image.
Sanjay Manjrekar Praises Virat Kohli’s T20 Game
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar recently commended Virat Kohli for evolving his T20 game. Kohli had subtly responded to critics questioning his strike rate after one of the IPL 2024 matches. Manjrekar opines that feedback from pundits, often dismissed as ‘white noise’, has actually helped Kohli improve his game.
In his column for Hindustan Times, Manjrekar wrote:
“It’s worth acknowledging that Virat is not the same T20 player he was two years ago. He must know deep down, surely, that the ‘outside noise’ has actually made him a better T20 batter today than he was two years ago.”
Kohli has openly discussed his strategy of using the slog sweep to counter spinners, a tactic he executed brilliantly throughout the IPL 2024 season. As the Orange Cap winner, India will be looking to Kohli to maintain his exceptional form in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which kicks off next week in the West Indies and the USA.
With his combination of on-field prowess and off-field influence, Kohli continues to solidify his status as a global sports icon, drawing parallels with the likes of Ronaldo and Messi.
