RCB Coach Basu Shanker Lauds Virat Kohli's Unwavering Commitment to Fitness

Bengaluru, March 18: Virat Kohli's dedication to fitness is not only legendary but has also inspired a transformative fitness culture within Indian cricket. While Kohli is the face of this revolutionary change, Basu Shanker, the strength and conditioning coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), has played a crucial role behind the scenes.

In RCB Podcast Season 2, Basu provided insights into Kohli's fitness journey and its impact on fellow cricketers. He explained that Kohli approached him in 2014 with a request to help alleviate his stiff back. After a few discussions, they decided to create a fitness template for Kohli, which required drastic changes to his existing training regimen.

Basu was astounded by Kohli's unwavering commitment to fitness, even when it came to repetitive, mundane tasks. Kohli's passion for excellence made it easier for Basu to implement his fitness program. Basu compared Kohli's approach to training like an Olympic athlete, mentioning that he used to quote Novak Djokovic as an example.

The RCB coach also noted that Kohli's dedication made it simpler for him to convey the fitness message to other players, citing Dinesh Karthik as an example. He emphasized the importance of athletic fitness, which is distinct from visual fitness, and praised Karthik's resilience and robustness on the cricket field.

Once the team captain embraced the fitness philosophy, Basu found it easier to introduce the concept to the rest of the team, eventually impacting the entire nation's approach to cricket fitness.