“I saw Virat grow in front of me”

The former star of the Indians of Mumbai (Mi) Unmukt Chand opened its doors on comparisons with Virat Kohli. During his appearance on “The Raunac Podcast”, he revealed that the comparison was as a motivation for him.

Unmukt spoke of having seen Virat Kohli Grandir while he was playing domestic cricket by his side for Delhi. He had shared the locker room with Kohli even before winning the 2012 U-19 World Cup in the Ranji trophy and other national tournaments.

“I saw Virat grow in front of me. Four years ago, he won the World Cup. When I played the Ranji trophy before the World Cup herself, I shared the locker room with him. So it was an inspiration for me. When people compare you to him, I have to intervene to fill these shoes and come at this level. I always look at him,” he said. (4:44)

The former MI star added that he had played with Kohli during his first appearance for Delhi during the Vijay Hazare 2009 trophy. He also remembers having had many conversations while striking by his side in domestic cricket.

“My first season for Delhi was in the Vijay Hazare trophy in 2009. Virat was on the team and I talked a lot with him at that time. He was there in my start in the Ranji trophy. I used to talk to him a lot.

After leading India to victory at the 2012 U-19 World Cup, Unmukt was considered the next great thing in Indian cricket. It was then that he was also compared to Kohli, who had led India to victory during the U-198 World Cup.

The former half batter opens with its viral advertising Pepsi

After the victory of the U-19 2012 World Cup, Unmukt Chand was part of a Pepsi viral advertisement which also had big names like MS Dhoni and Kohli. The former half batter revealed that the shooting had taken place after a domestic match between Delhi and the Uttar Pradesh (UP) in Ghaziabad.

He expressed that it was a special experience for him for having drawn with big names as a youngster. Unmukt added that people still remembered advertising and called him epic.

“This advertising shooting occurred after the World Cup. It was Pepsi advertising. There was a match between Delhi and Up in Ghaziabad. Up also Suresh Raina, Bhuvi, Praveen Kumar, all these guys were there. From Delhi Gautam, myself, Virat was there. Our shoot was the next day after the game. (54:28) (via the aforementioned source)

“A very good and different experience for me personally. I had a lot of fun. For a young person, pulling with such big names that also in an advertisement that was more tilted towards me, what can you ask more? It was very special and people still remember. It was one of these epic advertisements,” he added.

Unmukt was part of MI for two seasons in 2015 and 2016. In 2015, he scored 102 points of five rounds with an average of 20.40 with half a century. The following season, he only played one match and did not score a single round. It turned out to be his last IPL match and his season. He has not presented in the League since.

Although he had a bad IPL career, the only highlight was to win the trophy with Mi in 2015.