New Delhi: India’s Test captain Virat Kohli on Tuesday congratulated his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma on being selected for the Dronacharya award.

“Congratulations Raj Kumar Sir. All the hard work behind the bigger picture never gets noticed,” Kohli, who is in the West Indies, tweeted.

“I am delighted for you on getting the Dronacharya Award,” the skipper added.

Sharma will receive the award from President Pranab Mukherjee at a function in New Delhi on August 29. The other coaches who will be conferred the honour are Nagapuri Ramesh (athletics), Sagar Dayal (boxing), Bishweshwar Nandi (gymnastics), S. Pradeep Kumar (swimming) and Mahabir Singh (wrestling).

The Dronacharya Award is conferred on coaches who produce medal winners at prestigious international sports events. The awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs500,000 (Dh27,280) each.

Rajkumar Sharma himself belives that a coach is no different from a parent and says that is why he has been “protective” about Virat Kohli, keeping a close watch on the progress of his “son” during his formative years.

Sharma, who will be conferred with the prestigious Dronacharya award, has been the Indian Test captain’s coach since he was ten.

“It’s a huge honour which increases your responsibility to produce not one but many more Virats. I still remember the day when a 10-year-old Virat came to my coaching camp. Today as an Indian captain when he comes for a net session, I don’t find any difference. He is still the same old little Virat for me. Nothing has changed for him,” the 51-year-old former first-class cricketer said.

The 51-year-old’s name has been sent to the Dronacharya Awards committee on a number of occasions but he only got lucky this time. In fact, the Indian skipper called him from Port of Spain to congratulate him.

“When Virat got the Arjuna Award in 2013, I was there at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and he told me then next time I would be receiving Droancharya and he would be applauding from the audience. Wish Virat did not have international commitments [he will be on his flight back from the US] and he would be have been there at Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29,” said Sharma.

There was a point in time after Kohli’s U-19 World Cup exploits and a subsequent IPL contract with the RCB, when questions were raised about his focus. “Every coach has a duty just like a parent to keep a check on the progress of his ward. There was phase and he was only 19 years old. Instant stardom after U-19 World Cup victory and a contract with RCB, it can happen with kids.

“It’s at that point when the coach’s role comes into play. You have to give the boy right guidance. It was my duty as he is like my son,” said Sharma, who has played 9 Ranji Games as an off-spinner for Delhi.