Virat Kohli tattoos: A closer look at what they mean

India’s Test captain Virat Kohli has carved out a name for himself in the world of cricket with his aggressive style and no-holds-barred attitude. He has already faced some steep challenges in his thus far short career, and he has come out of most of them with flying colours. But while his cricket skills have definitely had a huge part to play in wide fan following, what is equally important is the way he has connected with the fans off the field – with his ‘cool’ demeanour, his lavish lifestyle, his fascinating tattoos.

The 26-year-old is a self-styled man and a good one at it, having been ranked at the No. 3 spot in GQ magazine’s ‘Top-10 Best Dressed International Men' back in 2012, ahead of the likes of US President Barack Obama. Adding to the dazzling personality are the tattoos that Kohli is all too happy to flaunt.

Tattoos and sportsmen go back a long way. But in India it's a relatively new trend to which Kohli has certainly given a huge impetus.

He has been quoted as saying by Men’s Health: “I love tattoos. And mine symbolise who I really am.”

A cursory glance at Kohli’s tattoos would tell us that he means what he says. He has been inked four times and sports two tattoos on each of his arms.

On Kohli’s left shoulder is his favourite tattoo – a Japanese Samurai warrior with a raised sword. The Samurais were the warriors of ancient Japan who led their lives based on concepts such as loyalty to one’s master, self-discipline and respectful, ethical behaviour.

The tattoo of a Japanese Samurai warrior with a raised sword is Kohli’s favourite

Kohli is not one to back down from a fight, as he has so often shown with his actions on the cricket field. With his fearlessness and toughness, this tattoo is one which Kohli relates to on a personal level.

"At a subconscious level, I connect to this warrior and I model myself on his discipline, skills and honour," he says.

On the inside of his upper right arm is the tattoo describing his zodiac sign – Scorpio. Brave, ambitious, intuitive, dynamic – these are some of the traits associated with a typical Scorpion. And Kohli, born on November 5, has all of that in abundance.

Another characteristic associated with the star sign is that of loyalty and faithfulness. It’s no wonder then that Kohli has paid homage to that with a tattoo of the Chinese symbol of faith on his right arm.

Rounding off Kohli’s collection is a tribal tattoo he has inked on the left arm. The meaning of that one is a little shrouded in mystery, and we hope he reveals its meaning in the near future.

Kohli also has a tribal tattoo inked on his left arm

Kohli may be in love with tattoos, but he doesn’t think you should ink yourself just for the sake of it.

“I have seen a lot of people getting tattoos just because it's a trend,” he has said. But we wonder if any of his fans would be listening to that as he himself is one of the top trendsetters in India at the moment.