'Internet war erupts as Jasprit Bumrah declares himself the fittest Indian cricketer, dividing fans of Virat Kohli'

The fittest cricketer in international cricket, according to the sports fraternity, including his ardent followers, fellow cricketers, and coaches, is undoubtedly Virat Kohli. His on-field dominance, exceptional batting and fielding skills, and unparalleled work ethic make him stand out among his peers. Renowned former India fielding coach R Sridhar even went as far as to say that Kohli is in a league of his own, making him seem like he is from another planet.

"It's only a very small part of your life, so what is the point in not giving it your all. That's what he said recently in an interview. There's so much for us to pick up from that. It's unfortunate that not many can try and get inspired by it and use that template in their own personal lives. He is from a different planet. I kept asking him sometimes when I was with the team. 'Have you had Kryptonite or something?' He always replied with a smile. 'Are you from Krypton? You're surely not from earth' Where does this energy comes from? And he'll always smile. It's unbelievable. What an inspiration," Sridhar said on Anubhav Talks.

However, Kohli's teammate, Jasprit Bumrah, put his name forward when asked about the fittest cricketer in the Indian dressing room during a recent event, a video of which went viral on social media.

Knowing that the person asking the question was seeking 'Kohli' as the response, Bumrah, with a cheeky twist to his reply, and reasoning it well, said: “I know the answer you are searching for, but I would like to say my name, because I am a fast bowler. I have been playing for while...and being a fast bowler and playing in this country in the beat takes a lot of requirements. So I will always promote a fast bowler.”

The response from Bumrah did receive applause from the crowd, but it sparked a war on social media between fans of the fast bowler and Kohli. While those in support of Bumrah reckoned that "owned Kohli," the other group of fans called out the India star for his “arrogance.”

The two India stars, who together played a vital role in India's T20 World Cup trophy win in June, will be back in action in Test cricket with the two-match series against Bangladesh next week. This will be Kohli's first contest since the ODI series against Sri Lanka, while Bumrah will be making a comeback after being rested since the World Cup.

The two, along with the rest of the Indian team picked for the Test series, assembled in Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday for a training camp. Kohli batted for close to 45 minutes in the nets, and pace spearhead Bumrah bowled full tilt.