It wasn't any different on Friday when the 24-year-old youth icon was presented as an ambassador for yet another brand. What's more, it is not only India Inc that is investing in him -- the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI), too, sees him as someone who can lead India sometime in the future.
For starters, Kohli has been asked to lead an inexperienced team to Zimbabwe. The India squad that departs for Harare in the early hours of Sunday for a five-match ODI series has a bunch of rookie bowlers after the selectors decided to give the regulars a much-needed rest along with captain MS Dhoni.
"I don't think experience matters, especially in limited overs. You need 11 players who are hungry for success, who are hard-working and whose vision is the team's victory. All 15 players are strong and it is a strong unit, which is good," said Kohli.
Although he didn't say it in as many words, Kohli expressed his disgust against the alleged match-fixers. When asked to define a hero and a villain which was the theme of the product, he said, "Hero is a person who respects the game and does not corrupt it. Those who corrupt the game are villains. They should be punished and they have been punished in the past."
He also had a few things to say to those who take illegal substances to boost their game. "This (doping) is not at all acceptable. Sport gives you everything in life. If you can't respect the game, you don't deserve to be there. Strict punishment should be handed to the guilty," Kohli later told a news channel.
Talking about his fearless and aggressive style of captaincy, Kohli said that leading from the front works for him. "I like to always lead from the front and set an example for whoever is playing with me or around me. I like taking responsibilities. That comes naturally to me," he said.
"The best quality is to not be afraid of anything. Even if you have seniors or players with a lot of experience in your team, you need confidence in your ability and think you can lead them. It is important you set an example with your performance quickly. Then you gain respect. If the respect is mutual between players and captain, the side is successful and it comes from performance, by winning matches for the team. That inspiration spreads in the team."
Ask Kohli who his superhero is and he spontaneously said, "Tendulkar." He added: "It has always been Tendulkar and it will be Tendulkar for life. He has inspired me immensely. I used to dream of winning games, because he used to do it single-handedly."
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