New Delhi: Virat Kohli's man-of-the-match performance against Pakistan on Saturday, helped get India's World Twenty20 campaign back on track.
The stylish right-hander played an innings to remember at the Eden Gardens, scoring an unbeaten 55 off 37 balls.
An interesting sight was witnessed by fans when the Delhi batsman reached the fifty-run mark. After raising his bat to acknowledge the crowd's applause, Kohli pointed it to the VIP box and bowed down in respect.
Virat Kohli celebrating his half century bowing down to the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar !! #IndvsPak #kohli pic.twitter.com/n5MZcRsck1
— Shane Sharief (@ShaneSharief) March 19, 2016
At the time it was unclear as to what the 27-year-old's gesture meant. While, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag did guess right on commentary, the real reason was only revealed by the man himself during the post-match interview.
Kohli said that his special celebration was directed at his idol Sachin Tendulkar.
"I started playing cricket watching him. So do it in front of 67,000 people with him celebrating, it was a great feeling," he said.
So @imVkohli admitted that the salutation after reaching his fifty was for @sachin_rt. Still gets a bit emotional talking about his idol
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 19, 2016
"I can’t express the feeling. My brother is here as well and Sachin Tendulkar was up there in the stands. I have seen Sachin paaji do that for India for years together and seen how people shout for him. I have gotten a chance to do it in front of him and he is celebrating. I cannot explain that feeling as a youngster who has grown up playing cricket because of him. To be able to do it in front of him and give him happiness; I am very grateful for it and it is a very emotional moment," he told BCCI.tv.
ICC World Twenty20: PHOTO GALLERIES
It was a heart-warming sight to see Kohli's salutation for Tendulkar on such an iconic occasion.
Now he has the daunting task of filling the master's shoes and going by what we have seen so far, he is well on his way in doing so.
