What was Kohli's 'heartwarming' gesture that Sachin Tendulkar remembers years later?

Veteran cricketer Virat Kohli, famed for his lion-like prowess and determination on and off the field, has announced his retirement from Test cricket on Monday, prompting waves of farewells for the man who inspired generations of Indians. 

In a post commending Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, often touted as one of the gods of cricket, speaks of something unique that Kohli did for him 12 years ago.

On November 14, 2013, after the 'Master Blaster' had played his last Test of a two-match series against West Indies, Kohli had offered to gift him a thread belonging to Prem Nath Kohli, Virat's late father.  

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Calling it “heartwarming”, he explained that although he had to refuse the gift because it was extremely personal to Kohli, the gesture deeply moved him, and his respect for Kohli grew.

Tendulkar is one among a long line of cricket personalities who pay their homage to Kohli's fiery spirit that saw him become a successful cricketer after overcoming numerous hardships.

The BCCI, as well as its international counterpart ICC, lauded Kohli's contributions to cricket, his legacy and his commendable fitness and discipline.

Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, praised his indomitable spirit, calling him “cheeks”.

Former teammates Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh also spoke about how Kohli had been a fighter on the pitch, as well as off the pitch—especially during the tough “grind” that early Test cricket had been before they reached their prime.

Current teammate Jaspirit Bumrah speaks highly of Kohli's natural leadership qualities, having emerged as a formidable player under his guidance.

Retired South African veteran AB de Villiers, acclaimed footballer Harry Kane, and tennis maestro Novak Djokovic were also among those who praised the Virat Kohli spirit, and his exhaustive contributions to the game.

The 36-year-old ended his inspiring run in the traditional format, scoring 9230 runs from 123 matches, with 30 hundreds at an average of 46.85. He will only play in ODIs now, having already retired from T20 Internationals last year, a PTI report said.