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Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), the team's batting coach, Dinesh Karthik heaped immense praiseΒ on superstar batter Virat Kohli. Dinesh Karthik is in awe of the fact that Kohli has remarkably maintained his consistent high-level performance over an extended period of 18 years, highlighting the immense determination required to sustain such standards in a demanding league like the IPL.
Dinesh Karthik in awe of Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli proved his mettle once again in the clash against RR, where he produced a masterful knock of 70 runs off just 42 balls which was decorated with eight boundaries and two towering sixes RCB's win. While Kohli appeared to be on track for a century, his innings was eventually brought to an end by a delivery from Jofra Archer.
In a video shared by RCB on the social media platform X, Dinesh Karthik spoke at length about Virat Kohli's extraordinary consistency throughout his 18-year IPL career. Karthik also noted that Kohli himself had reflected on his early performances in Bengaluru, acknowledging that he could have made more astute decisions during those initial games, demonstrating a continuous drive for self-improvement.
"It's one thing to play IPL for 18 years, but it's a different thing to be consistent for 18 years. It just tells you a lot about the man. And he was very determined. He just felt the first three games in Bangalore. He told me two things. One, that probably he could have thought a little better. And B, he felt the fans, the way he looks at it. He knows that a lot of the people turn up just to watch him play. So you can see, even though he didn't say it explicitly, he felt that," Karthik said.
Karthik also pointed out Kohli's role as a mentor and leader within the team, noting his proactive efforts in guiding younger players such as Devdutt Padikkal and facilitating a comfortable integration for newer members like Phil Salt. In concluding his praise, Karthik unequivocally described Kohli as a true champion, emphasising his capacity to inspire and lead his teammates through his own exemplary actions and performances on the field.
"That man puts his mind to something, the way he adapts, understands situations. I'm too small a person to even speak about it. He's an absolute champion. Just the way he went about it. Also guiding Dev [Devdutt Padikkal] along the way. Making sure it took Salt along at the start. His body language, his commitment to a cause. Outstanding," Karthik concluded.
The partnership between Kohli and Padikkal proved to be a cornerstone of RCB's innings, as they forged an impressive 95-run stand for the second wicket which helped them post a total of 205/5. Padikkal contributed a quickfire 50 runs off just 27 deliveries, punctuated by four boundaries and three sixes. Later in the innings, Tim David, with a fiery 23 off 15 balls, and Jitesh Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 20 off 10 deliveries, chipped in with valuable cameos, providing crucial momentum in the final overs. Following the win, Virat Kohli conveyed his delight at securing RCB's first home win of the IPL 2025 season. He expressed his appreciation for the passionate Bengaluru fans, acknowledging their role in creating an exceptional atmosphere that makes the city the premier destination for playing cricket. Individually, Kohli's performance in the tournament has been stellar, currently holding the second position in the Orange Cap race with a total of 392 runs amassed in nine matches at an impressive average of 65.33, which includes five half-centuries.
RCB will next face Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley stadium on April 27.
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