Former India U19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand has opened up about the early comparisons made between him and batting superstar Virat Kohli, admitting that while the pressure was immense, it also served as a huge source of inspiration. Speaking on The Raunac Podcast, Unmukt recalled how closely he had followed Kohli’s journey in domestic cricket while representing Delhi.

Having shared the dressing room with him even before his own rise to prominence, Chand said watching Kohli evolve into a world-class cricketer pushed him to aim higher.

“I saw Virat growing in front of me. Four years before my Under-19 World Cup win, he had already lifted the trophy. Even before that, when I was playing Ranji Trophy, I shared the dressing room with him. It was an inspiration,” Unmukt Chand said. “When people compared me to him, I didn’t feel burdened. Instead, I looked at it as motivation to step up and reach that level.”

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Unmukt Chand also revealed how he spent quality time with Kohli during his debut season for Delhi in the 2010 Vijay Hazare Trophy, as well as during his Ranji Trophy debut. He recalled batting alongside stalwarts like Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli in the Delhi line-up.

Unmukt Chand said “Virat Kohli is an Inspiration to me”. [TRP podcast] pic.twitter.com/KZsNuXd1dx

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“I spoke a lot with Virat then. I used to open with Shikhar while Virat batted at number three, so I’ve shared the crease with him plenty of times,” he added.

Chand’s defining moment came in 2012, when he led India to a memorable U19 World Cup triumph against Australia. Instantly touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, his career took a different trajectory compared to Kohli’s meteoric rise.

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Unmukt last played competitive cricket in July 2025, turning out for the Vegas Vikings in the Max60 Caribbean tournament. He managed 93 runs in seven matches, averaging 23.25. While his international dreams never materialised, his bond with Kohli and the early comparisons remain a cherished part of his cricketing journey.