Kohli Pays Tribute To Diego Maradona

In football legend Diego Maradona's death we have lost a genius who impacted people's lives, and he would be missed, said India cricket captain Virat Kohli here on Thursday while paying rich tributes to the former Argentina coach.

Maradona died, aged 60, on Wednesday.

"It's a sad day for sport; it's obviously a very sad day for football. It's a very sad day for sports in general because we have lost a genius; someone who has inspired people across generations and across walks of life, not just sport -- across many sports and so many people in their lives as well," Kohli said on the eve of India's first One-day International against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground here.

"People were mesmerized watching him play and that is something that happens to a very few -- pure genius with what he did. It's a void that can't be filled as some of the football legends have already said, and I totally, totally agree with that," he said.

Kohli disclosed that he watched a documentary on Maradona during the 50-over World Cup in England last year.

"I watched his documentary last year when we were there for the World Cup [in England]. And it was amazing to see the aura and the persona around him, and the stuff that he went through - just the pure genius of what he did; so mesmerizing and something that will dearly be remembered. He will be missed by everyone in the sports fraternity, I am sure, and definitely the football fraternity as well," he said.

Maradona was discharged from a hospital two weeks ago after undergoing surgery for a blood clot in his brain. He underwent surgery on November 3 after which his personal doctor said that the former Argentina coach was suffering from confusion caused by "abstinence". He, however, recovered enough to leave the hospital and was taken to a house in Tigre, on the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires, where he eventually died.