New Delhi: Senior Indian cricketer Virat Kohli on Tuesday completed 36 years of life and there are many moments on and off the field for his fans to cherish. There are many knocks that the Delhi-born cricketer has played under pressure and turned India’s lone saviour in many of those.
His on-field aggression is something that has invited lengthy discussions among experts and followers, but it is the same thing which describes him as a player, who wants to win matches no matter what. Kohli emerged from the ranks of India’s U-19 World Cup triumph in Malaysia in 2008 when he led the junior team.
Those were the days which can be described as stepping stones in the success of a phenomenal career, which still has a few more years to be witnessed.
Kohli is famously called by his nickname ‘Cheeku’. He earned this name during his domestic cricket days while playing Ranji Trophy for his state side Delhi. During an Instagram chat with former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen in April 2020, the Indian batter revealed the etymology behind his nickname ‘Cheeku’.
“I got this nickname from a coach in the Ranji Trophy. I used to have big cheeks then. In 2007, I thought I was losing hair. I got my hair cropped and my cheeks and ears stood out. I got the name from a cartoon character. The rabbit in the comic book Champak,” Kohli told Pietersen.
From a chubby kid cheeku to becoming a GOAT, your attitude and approach changed the way India 🇮🇳 played cricket. Happy Birthday @imVkohli 🥳 #HappyBirthdayVirat pic.twitter.com/yLH8vzqe7O
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) November 5, 2024
How did Virat Kohli’s nickname ‘Cheeku’ become famous?
Virat Kohli has many nicknames given by fans with the one that captivates a lot is ‘King Kohli’. However, Kohli isn’t someone who likes being called by such monikers in the public domain. His nickname Cheeku was popularised by none other than former India captain MS Dhoni.
“MS (Dhoni) has sort of made my nickname famous from behind the stumps (by shouting it). In the stumps’ mic, people pick up,” Kohli said.
Kohli was annoyed when the crowd called him by this name while going to various places.
“They will shout ‘Hey Cheeku, one photo please’, and I am like ‘I have a name. You people don’t know me? You can’t call me Cheeku,” he said.
