Virat Kohli called it quits from T20 cricket and boy, the nostalgia is real—fans and former teammates alike are pouring in their favourite memories of the batting maestro. Among all these tributes, an interesting anecdote came out from an unlikely source: Bollywood actor Saqib Saleem.

Saleem recently shared an interesting anecdote from Kohli’s nascent cricketing days during a podcast. The actor revealed that their paths crossed during their respective U-19 careers, with Kohli playing for Delhi and he for Kashmir. It was during one of these matches that Saleem first witnessed the raw talent that would eventually propel Kohli to global stardom.

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“I remember seeing him bat for the first time in an U-16 or U-19 tournament,” Saqib Saleem recalled. “He was just fifteen, but the way he was hitting the ball, it was so evident that this guy was something special. He wasn’t just clearing boundaries; he was hitting them out of the ground! I knew then that this kid was destined for greatness.”

Virat Kohli And I Played Cricket Together As Kids In Delhi (U19 days) : Saqib Saleem. He was Something Else. #SaqibSaleem #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/WXPHUfnAPr

— Shubhankar Mishra (@shubhankrmishra) July 26, 2024

Saleem’s account offers a rare perspective on Kohli’s journey, highlighting the precocious talent that defined his career. Stories like these, against the backdrop of a cricketing world still coming to terms with Kohli’s retirement from T20, are reminders of the extraordinary talent that has captivated fans for nearly two decades.

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Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is gearing up for India’s ODI series against Sri Lanka, commencing on August 2. Saleem, on the other hand, is currently promoting his film ‘Kakuda’ with Riteish Deshmukh and Sonakshi Sinha.