Virat Kohli reveals real story behind 'chiku' nickname

Mumbai, April 3 (IANS) India mens cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has revealed the real story about his nickname ‘chiku and how it was popularised by veteran wicketkeeper-batsman M.S. Dhoni who shouted it many times during a cricket game from behind the stumps."MS (Dhoni) has sort of made my nickname famous from behind the stumps. In the stumps' mic, people pick up," Kohli told Kevin Pietersen during a chat session on Instagram on Thursday.He revealed that it was his first-class cricket coach who nicknamed him ‘chiku'."I got this nickname from a coach in the Ranji Trophy. I used to have big cheeks then. In 2007, I thought I was losing hair. I got my hair cropped and my cheeks and ears stood out. I got the name from a cartoon character. The rabbit in the comic book Champak," he said. Prior to the interview, Pietersen had also shared a picture of Kohli's younger days and asked him about the photo. The 31-year-old laughed and said: "I don't recognise him anymore. We did have a lot of fun then. 2009 and 2010 you (Pietersen) were with us and we really hit off from day 1. And we had a gun team with Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis."Kohli also shed light on him turning vegan, saying it is the best decision he has made in his life."In 2018, I got a cervical spine issue. I could barely feel my finger and I could not sleep the body was acidic, my stomach started pulling calcium from my bones and my bones got weaker."I cut down uric acid from my body and I left meat. That is the best decision I have made in my life. I have never felt better waking up. I can play 3 games a week and can recover within a day after a Test match and go on another," he said.
--IANS aak/