Kohli has made 97 runs in three matches so far.
In an exclusive podcast with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach and team mentor, Dinesh Karthik shared how it is to train the legendary Virat Kohli. DK spoke about his relationship with Kohli as a coach and how it is different from the time when both players shared the dressing room. He also praised the star batter for reasons outside of Kohli’s statistics.
“Ego can be your greatest ally if you use it for the right reasons like Virat Kohli. You know, he has a cricketing ego.”
The two have donned the RCB jersey together just recently in the past couple of seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, this is DK’s first rodeo as a coach.
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How can someone teach the game to a player like Kohli, who has been in the international mix since 2008? Stepping into his new shoes, DK’s job is not to teach Kohli how to hold the bat. He has been more of an observer from the crease and a fan at heart. Karthik explained how the Delhi boy keeps up with his hunger for the game alongside having a cricketing ego, which only helps Kohli rise above the ranks.
“When he goes out there, he wants to take on the best bowler in the world, the best bowler in the opponent and take him down. He gets pleasure in that. That’s what he thrives on. If he doesn’t have it, I don’t think he’ll play that sport. Every match he goes, he wants to make sure that, who is the best bowler – I’ll take down that guy. That is an ego. That is okay, you know. That gets the best out of you as a sportsman. You are who you are because of what you do on a sports field. It’s very important to understand that. But if you take your ego outside and say I was such a big cricketer, why they don’t do this for me or why they don’t that for me. That can be a very tough place because I think, you know, being in this sporting ecosystem is a bit of a bubble,” explained Karthik.
Watch the full podcast here:
The 36-year-old has played all three fixtures of RCB in the IPL 2025 so far. He started the tournament opener against Kolkata Knight Riders with a bang. He made an unbeaten 59 to seal the match for RCB. Against Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk, he played a low 31 off 30. His numbers turned bitter as he returned with just seven runs against the Gujarat Titans in a home match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RCB have touched down in Mumbai to face the five-time IPL champions at the Wankhede Stadium on April 7.
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