Virat Kohli called Sachin Tendulkar after his worst cricketing nightmare. England 2014 broke Kohli’s confidence completely. Every ball felt like a puzzle he couldn’t solve. The bowlers kept getting him out easily.
Kohli made just 134 runs in ten tries. That’s barely 13 runs per innings on average. For someone like Kohli, these numbers felt embarrassing. He knew something was seriously wrong with his game.
Look at his scores: 1, 8, 25, 0, 39, 28, 0, 7, 6, 20. Three ducks in one series! English bowlers had figured him out completely. Kohli felt like he’d forgotten how to bat properly.
Also Read: IND vs ENG 2025: Rishabh Pant’s Lifesaver Doctor Reacts to His Viral Somersault Celebration
Virat Kohli called Sachin Tendulkar That Changed Everything
Kohli knew he had to fix his batting fast. Australia tour was coming up next. Australian bowlers are even tougher than English ones. He picked up his phone and called the Master Blaster.
“My hip position was an issue during that England tour,” Kohli had once told Mayank Agarwal in a chat for bcci.tv. “If the right hip opens or closes too much you, you are in trouble. [You have to] keep that hip position nice and side-on and balanced so that you can play through both off-side and leg side with equal control is very very important. I came back from England and spoke to Sachin Paaji and had a few sessions with him in Mumbai. I told him that I am working on my hip position. He made me realise the importance of a big stride, a forward press against fast bowlers. The moment I started doing that with my hip alignment, things started falling in place nicely and then the Australia tour happened.”
Sachin taught him about taking big strides forward. He explained how to press forward against fast bowlers. These small changes would make a huge difference.
Kohli worked hard on Sachin’s advice every day. He practiced the new hip position for hours. He also worked on his forward movement.
Also Read: BREAKING: Pakistan Selects Azhar Mahmood as Red-Ball Cricket Coach
The hard work paid off in Australia. Kohli scored 692 runs in just four matches. His average jumped to 86.50 runs per game. He hit four centuries in four Tests.
The Lesson That Changed His Career
Kohli calls that England tour his biggest learning experience. It taught him how to handle tough situations. Bad times can make you stronger if you learn from them.
He realized that staying calm is very important. International cricket tests your mind more than your skills. You need mental strength to succeed at the top level.
Also Read: Yashasvi Jaiswal Nears Landmark, Eyes on Breaking Gavaskar’s Elite Test Record
Today, Kohli thanks Sachin for saving his career. That phone call changed everything for him. It shows why asking for help is never wrong.
