The absence of international cricket means that most of the ‘action’ is now confined to social media but Virat Kohli has revealed some interesting anecdotes of his career.

The Indian star has accumulated 43 hundreds in the ODI format and 27 in Test matches took the words of Proteas wicketkeeper batsman turned national team coach Boucher to heart some 12 years ago.

Then a fledgling IPL talent and not yet 20, Boucher instructed Kohli – a far plumper figure back then – to work on his skill against short-pitched bowling as the batsman entered a new dawn in cricket alongside world stars in the cash-rich T20 competiton.

‘Boucher told me in 2008 to improve my game against the short ball. He had the vision. He also told me when I come to India in four years time and if I don’t see you playing for India, I will be disappointed,’ Kohli said to his star teammate and South Africa batting great AB de Villiers during an Instagram live chat.

Kohli also picked the 119 he scored in the Johannesburg Test in 2013 as his best knock against South Africa and singled out former India coaches Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher for their input into his game.

‘Gary always gave me positive feedback. Then Fletcher, he had a keen eye for the game,’ he said.