Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is widely regarded as one of the fittest athletes in the modern era and the talismanic batsman is also known to have brought the fitness revolution in the cricketing world. Well, Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal certainly agrees to the fact as he heaped praises on the top-ranked ODI batsman while talking to him in a live Instagram session. The southpaw said that there was an era when cricketers used to look up athletes of other sports for inspiration. However, things were changed when Kohli worked on his physique and set up a benchmark for other cricketers. ‘He Never Misbehaved With Me After That’: Imrul Kayes Recalls How Tamim Iqbal Silenced Virat Kohli.

"There were times when we honestly looked up to different athletes from different sports regarding how fit they are or how disciplined they are. But now I can proudly say that we have our own, from our cricketing family which is you. Thank you very much for entertaining us," Tamim Iqbal said to Virat Kohli.

On numerous occasions talked about the importance of fitness in his life. The 31-year-old revealed that he used to sleep late, have drinks after games. However, his mindset was changed after a poor season in the 2012 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The right-handed batsman started following a strict fitness regime and the transition of his body over the years reflects his hard work.

The graph of his performance has also inclined in the last six or seven years. He has been the leading scorer in international cricket in the last four years. Also, he is the only batsman to have average more than 50 in all the three formats.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2020 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).