Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with cricketer Virat Kohli as India marks one year of the Fit India Movement. Captain Kohli responded to the questions posed by PM Modi when the duo spoke at the Fit India Dialogue on Wednesday (September 24) noon.

Virat Kohli, one of the world’s fittest athletes, highlighted the utmost importance of fitness in life. He is a role model for many and has created a huge impact on the Indian dressing room, where cricketers now spend more time in the gym than before. He said that ever since he worked on his eating habits and focussed on his fitness, he has emerged as a better and stronger player.

Kohli, who is currently in UAE, playing IPL for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) reiterated how fitness plays a huge role in modern-day and cricketers cannot just rely on skills to suffice their career aspirations.

“Started working on fitness to improve my game. Now, I feel bad on missing a fitness session more than a practice session. There's a need to keep our fitness in sync with the speed at which our game is growing. Can't just rely on skills, fitness is also equally important. My body should be able to respond to what my brain is saying,” Kohli added.

He even briefed about his meal habit, saying “It is important to give gaps in between meals. Need to give time to the body to process food. Earlier, I used to have dinner, then eat something sweet and straightaway go to sleep. That shouldn't happen.”

On PM’s enquiry, if even Kohli does the yo-yo test, Kohli said “It is a very important test in terms of fitness. Our fitness levels are still low in comparison to other teams globally. I am the first one to give the Yo-Yo test. If I fail, even I would be unavailable for selection. In Test matches, now the players can put in the required effort on the field even on 4th and 5th days. We always had the skill but didn't have such fitness levels before.”

“Everyone feels tired but if your lifestyle is good and you work out every day, the recovery improves. It all depends on the lifestyle of a person,” Kohli said when asked about tiredness after such fitness sessions.

The fitness enthusiast chuckled when PM Modi provoked him that he must be missing Delhi’s ‘Chole Bhature’, to which he the former focussed that fitness level hardly permits him this flexibility.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has also been spreading awareness about fitness through the Fit India Movement launched the ‘Fit India Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols’ during the online Fit India Dialogue.

Addressing the nation with a slogan “Fitness ki dose, aadha ghanta roz,” Modi added “I am glad that healthy eating is becoming a part of our way of living. Becoming fit is not as difficult as most think. It just requires a little discipline,” he said, adding that we need to inspire one another to stay fit. “Families that play together, stay together.”
During the online interaction, Modi connected with renowned fitness influencers at the Fit India Dialogue on September 24 at 12 noon. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju was also present.