It is well known that Virat Kohli grew up idolising Sachin Tendulkar. For an entire generation of Indian cricket fans, Kohli almost seamlessly carried forward the legacy of the legendary batter after Tendulkar’s retirement. His consistency, hunger for runs and leadership ensured that the transition from one era to another felt remarkably smooth.
However, while Kohli has often spoken about his admiration for Tendulkar, fans rarely got to hear exactly what aspect of the Master Blaster’s game he admired the most. That changed recently when Kohli’s Indian Premier League franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, put him on the spot with a rapid-fire question about the one skill he would love to borrow from Tendulkar’s career.
Without hesitation, Virat Kohli replied: “Everything.” But if he had to pick one specific skill, it would be Tendulkar’s iconic lap shot against spinners.
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Kohli explained that Tendulkar was among the first batters to execute the lap shot with remarkable precision and elegance. The stroke, which involves delicately guiding the ball fine on the leg side against spinners, looked effortless when played by Tendulkar.
Virat was asked to pick one quality from different celebrities. 👀
His answer about Sachin paaji? You’ll want to hear that. 🎥✨
This is Emmvee presents RCB Shorts.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/jpt1FJrimm
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 27, 2026
According to Virat Kohli, what made the shot special was the control and calmness with which Tendulkar executed it. “It was smooth and never looked rushed,” he said, adding humorously that he often struggles when attempting the same shot and ends up making a mess of it.
During the same interaction, Kohli also revealed the personal qualities he admires in other iconic figures across sports and entertainment. From MS Dhoni, Kohli said he would love to inherit a sense of contentment and calmness. From Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, he admires humility despite immense success, while from football legend Cristiano Ronaldo he draws inspiration from unmatched discipline and work ethic.
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Currently enjoying a short break from international cricket during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Kohli is expected to return to competitive action soon. The star batter will next be seen leading the charge for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the upcoming Indian Premier League season, scheduled to begin later in March.
