Ravichandran Ashwin, the former Indian spinner, has expressed admiration for the infectious energy that Virat Kohli, the star of the Indian national team and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), brings to his batting. Ashwin referred to Kohli’s approach as ‘bizarre for his age’ in a complimentary manner, commending his relentless spirit and dedication at the crease.
He noted Kohli’s remarkable desire to seize quick singles and maintain an aggressive mindset, even during times of comfortable partnerships. Ashwin emphasized that Kohli truly ‘walks the talk,’ setting a benchmark for playing the game with intensity and integrity.
‘I find him quite unusual at this stage in his career. I often tell him this in our conversations. There was a moment when he was batting in the 40s, and RCB was well ahead. He dashed for the first single, and even before the other batter reached halfway, he was eyeing a second. It was a 57-metre boundary on the leg side, showcasing the enthusiasm he continues to bring to the game. He walks the talk. It’s as if he’s demonstrating how the game should be played—hard and true to its spirit. That aspect of his game stood out to me. If RCB intends to bat like this, Virat just needs to stay at the crease for the entire 20 overs,’ Ashwin mentioned during a chat on JioHotstar.
Making his first T20 appearance since the IPL 2025 final, Kohli shone with the bat, leading RCB to their opening victory of the season.
In their pursuit of 202 runs to win the IPL 2026 opener, Phil Salt struck two boundaries in the initial over but fell for just eight runs shortly after. Kohli scored a brilliant 69 off 38 deliveries, including five fours and five sixes, steering RCB to triumph in the season’s first match.
Kohli displayed impressive form right from the start. He became the first player in IPL history to surpass 4,000 runs in successful chases. Additionally, Kohli surpassed former Pakistan player Shoaib Malik to rank as the sixth-highest run-scorer in T20 cricket. Malik amassed 13,571 runs across 557 matches and 515 innings, boasting an average of 35.99, with 83 half-centuries in the shortest format.
(With ANI Input)