“Amit Mishra’s Insight: Virat Kohli Changed by Fame, Rohit Sharma Remains Grounded”

In a recent interaction, former Indian spinner Amit Mishra made striking comparisons between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Mishra claimed that while Kohli’s fame and power have altered him significantly, Rohit remains unchanged despite his success, including leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup victory.

Both cricketers debuted around the same time—Rohit in 2007 and Kohli in 2008. Kohli rose to prominence early, becoming captain in 2015 after MS Dhoni retired from Tests and later taking on the all-format captaincy in 2017. Rohit took over as full-time captain in early 2022.

‘Different Natures, Different Friendships’

A veteran of 22 Tests, 36 ODIs, and 10 T20Is, Mishra has played with and under the captaincy of both Kohli and Rohit. Speaking to YouTuber Shubhankar Mishra, Amit Mishra revealed, “As a cricketer, I respect Kohli a lot, but our relationship has changed. Virat has fewer friends because his nature is different from Rohit’s. The best thing about Rohit is that he remains the same person I first met. Would you relate more to someone consistent or someone who changes with circumstances?”

Mishra continued, “I’ve seen Virat change a lot. We almost stopped talking. When people gain fame and power, they often think others reach out for personal gain. I’ve known Kohli since he was 14, back when he loved eating samosas and pizzas. The Kohli I knew is very different from the captain Kohli today. He’s respectful, but it’s not the same.”

Future Outlook

Following India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies and USA, both Kohli and Rohit retired from T20Is. They will miss the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, where Gautam Gambhir will debut as head coach, but are expected to return for India’s home season later this year.