Legendary Virat Kohli penned an emotional father’s day note for his late dad on Sunday, June 15. The former India captain revealed on Instagram the exact moment which shaped his entire life’s mantra.

Late on Sunday, Kohli wrote that it was his father that instilled the ethics of hard work in him. He revealed that despite being given a shortcut to the team during his early days, his father closed that door for him, directing him to earn his place in the side.

“He taught me to never rely on shortcuts or influence — because if you truly have it in you, hard work will show it. And if you don’t have the will to work for it, then maybe you don’t deserve it yet,” Virat Kohli said on Instagram.

“When I was offered an easier path once, he refused it for me. With calm conviction, he said,

‘If you’re good enough, you’ll find your way. And if not, it’s better to know that early.’ That one moment shaped how I live, work, and show up in the world. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers whose quiet strength becomes our lifelong compass,” Kohli concluded.