To celebrate cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme, India briefly came out of the grip of World Cup fever to celebrate the announcement and exchange congratulatory messages. The credit for the sport’s return after the 1900 Games went far and wide, and the rolling names included obvious stakeholders, until Niccolo Campriani, the Sports Director of the Los Angeles 2028 Organising Committee, struck a chord with India by putting the spotlight on Virat Kohli.
Among the present-day cricket icons, Virat, without an iota of doubt, is the name most synonymous with cricket even in regions where cricket is either not played at all or has started making its presence felt, which includes the hosts of 2028 Games — the USA.Putting Virat’s popularity in a digital frame in context of the influence it has on the global sports community, Campriani, a triple Olympic gold medallist in shooting, credited the batting legend’s popularity as one of the key factors in making cricket an Olympic sport once again.
“We all recognize the critical importance of a strong digital presence in order to keep the Games relevant for the youth…My friend Virat, he is the third most followed athlete in the world on social media with 340 million followers. That’s more than LeBron James (NBA legend), Tom Brady (American football icon) and Tiger Woods (golf legend) combined,” Campriani mentioned during his address.
Campriani’s admission about Virat’s influence in IOC’s decision turned into headlines and will soon veer towards obvious discussions, including whether Virat will still be playing when the LA 2028 Games arrive.
A topic still too early to discuss, especially because Virat has defied fitness notions at the age of 34 and is at the top of his game, but it’s also true that five years is a long time and and there’s lot to ponder for an elite professional sportsperson when he or she nears 40 — family life, a supporting body, form, burnout, mental health, etc.
It can, therefore, be best left to time and Virat himself, but the topic will grow as a discussion in these five years.
Speaking to TimesofIndia.com, former India cricketer and member of the 1983 World Cup-winning side Madan Lal remarked, “Fitness is the main thing on the field. It depends on individual to individual. Fitness is one thing that you have to look after yourself, like the way Virat is doing. I think that sets an example.”
So Madan Lal left it purely to Virat’s fitness when the time comes for him to decide whether his body is still supportive to play at least T20 cricket, which will be the format at LA 2028.
“When you grow older, you have to put more effort (to keep yourself fit). It’s about being consistent. If you ask me about him as a player, it depends on his fitness level and his mindset. If he is fit and his mind is thinking about playing and it is into that game, he will play (in 2028 Olympics) because he has the ability to play,” said the former India allrounder.
“The thing is that you have to play the T20 format (in Olympics). If there will be a lot of gaps and if he is not playing the T20 format regularly for India, then the situation might become difficult.”
T20s require a batter to face fewer balls and stay on the field for lesser duration compared to ODIs and Tests. But the turnaround time between two games can be minimal in case of T20s, which demands quicker recovery.
Sachin Tendulkar continued till the age of 40, and Kirti Azad was quick to mention that when approached by Timesofindia.com to share his thoughts, highlighting the fact that it’s relatively easier for batters to extend their playing career than bowlers.
“It’s difficult for bowlers to carry on playing (at older age). Sachin carried on to play till the age of 40, and with due respect to Sachin’s fitness, I think Virat is far ahead as far as fitness is concerned,” said Kirti, who was Madan Lal’s teammate during the 1983 World Cup triumph.
“I hope he plays (the 2028 Olympics), with the kind of fitness that he has. Performance is also very important. Along with fitness, if you’re performing well, you’re on the side. If you’re not performing well, then you might be as fit as you can, but you may not be selected.”
On the global stage, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James are known for setting fitness parameters. At the age of 38, Ronaldo and James continue to retain their status as the difference makers.
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Next year, Ronaldo will represent Portugal at Euro 2024, while James will ply his trade for the US men’s national basketball team in the Paris Olympics. If they could wear their nation’s crest in major events at 39, Kohli, given that injuries don’t hamper his progress, is well ahead in the queue to play cricket at the Olympics.