Paddy Upton Says Only Virat Kohli Could Survive Hockey Training – Here’s Why

Quick Summary

• Paddy Upton, India’s former mental conditioning coach, says only Virat Kohli could survive a hockey training session.
• Upton believes hockey demands far higher stamina and endurance than cricket.
• He called hockey players “18 Virat Kohlis” from a fitness perspective.
• Once again, Kohli’s legendary fitness levels shine beyond cricket.

When it comes to fitness in Indian cricket, Virat Kohli has always been the benchmark. But now, his reputation has gone beyond cricketing boundaries, with one of the country’s most respected sports psychologists giving him a unique compliment.

Paddy Upton, who has worked with the Indian cricket team as a mental conditioning coach and also spent time with India’s hockey and chess squads, has claimed that Kohli is the only cricketer who could handle the intensity of a hockey training session.

In a candid chat with India Today, Upton explained why hockey is on a completely different level when it comes to physical demands. “You can’t even compare the two teams. It’s just a completely different sport. If the Indian cricket team did half a training session with the hockey boys, most of them would be lying on the floor. The only player who would last more than half a session is Virat Kohli,” Upton said.

It’s a statement that underlines just how extraordinary Kohli’s fitness levels are. While many cricketers focus on skills and endurance for the longer formats, Kohli has built his career around supreme physical conditioning. From his lightning-quick singles to his ability to field at peak levels across formats, his fitness has been the backbone of his consistency.

Upton didn’t stop there. He gave an even more striking comparison that instantly went viral: “These guys are 18 Virat Kohlis from a fitness perspective, whereas in the cricket team there’s only one Virat Kohli.”

The remark highlights both the sheer demands of hockey and the fact that Kohli is a once-in-a-generation athlete. For a sport like hockey, which requires relentless running, lung-busting sprints, and non-stop stamina, even most cricketers in their prime would struggle to keep up.

For Kohli, however, elite fitness has always been non-negotiable. His transformation over the years—from a talented youngster with flashes of brilliance to a global icon who dominates across formats—has been fueled by a disciplined approach to diet, training, and recovery.

It’s this commitment that has allowed him to maintain top standards well into his mid-30s, a stage where many cricketers begin to fade. And now, with Upton’s words, Kohli’s dedication has found recognition beyond cricket, bridging into the world of hockey.

As Upton pointed out, cricket may be a stop-start sport, but in hockey there is no respite. That Kohli could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the fittest hockey players in the country is not just a compliment—it’s a testament to the legend’s relentless pursuit of excellence.