Star India cricketer Virat Kohli, who is a good friend of national football captain Sunil Chhetri, says that the iconic footballer had informed him about his decision to retire before announcing it publicly.
Chettri, India's most capped (150 matches) player and also the country's top goal-scorer (94), on Thursday announced that he will retire after the game against Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6.
"He (Chhetri) is a really great player. He actually messaged me as well informing that he's going to do that. But I would actually say I felt like he is at peace with the decision," Kohli said in a short video interview on his IPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru's X handle.
"I have become very close with him over the years and I wish the best. He is a lovely, lovely guy."
Kohli also informed that his daughter Vamika has recently started swinging a bat but said he would never force his kids to take up cricket.
Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma were blessed with a daughter Vamika, in 2021 and recently also welcomed a son, Akaay.
"My daughter picked up a bat and she is really enjoying swinging the bat. But it's their choice again, only," he said.
RCB are currently placed sixth in the IPL standings with 12 points from 13 games and will take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings in a must-win match in Bengaluru on Saturday.
RCB made a remarkable comeback with five straight wins after enduring a six-game losing streak to stay afloat in the play-off race.
RCB's season went off the tracks in April and spent the majority of the month at the bottom of the table but rose from the ashes winning five games on the trot.
Kohli talked about his mentality during April when the team was tottering for two points in the majority of their matches.
"The month of May has been very good. In April, I thought we were going into a very dark place. We found a ray of sunlight in May. We are glad that we made the fans happy again," Kohli said of their fightback.
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