When Cricket Meets Tennis: The Mutual Admiration Club of Kohli and Novak

Indian cricket maestro Virat Kohli recently shared the heartwarming tale of his camaraderie with Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic, showcasing the mutual admiration they've developed across sports.

The story began with Kohli extending a simple greeting to the 24-time Major champion on social media. To his surprise, Djokovic had already messaged him, kickstarting their friendship.

Kohli, recounting the organic connection, stated, "I got in touch with Novak very organically, just looking at his Instagram profile. I thought I’d say hello, maybe. Then, I saw a message from him in my DM already. I checked if it was a fake account, but it was legitimate. We started talking, exchanging messages and congratulating each other on achievements."

Their common ground extended to supreme fitness, allowing excellence even in their mid-30s. Djokovic congratulated Kohli on his 50th ODI century, a gesture deeply appreciated by the Indian cricketing great.

Expressing mutual respect, Kohli said, "It’s really nice to connect with global athletes excelling at a high level. It sends out a message of inspiration to the next generation. I have a lot of respect for him, his fitness passion, something I follow myself."

Djokovic reciprocated the admiration, calling Kohli his "text buddy." Djokovic, reminiscing his only visit to India in 2014, expressed a strong connection to the country and hopes to return to explore its rich history and culture.

Kohli extended his best wishes to Djokovic for the Australian Open, where the Serbian aims for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam. Kohli, watching Djokovic play cricket with Steve Smith, admitted being tempted to join. However, acknowledging the speed of tennis serves, he joked, "I probably don’t have a chance to touch that. But yeah, it’ll be nice to probably do that with him as well. And hopefully, it’s probably the only thing I can teach him is how to hold a cricket bat."

(With Agency Inputs)