'It was never about trying to overshadow anyone': Virat Kohli reveals his batting philosophy

Former India captain and Royal Chllengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli revealed his batting philosophy, explaining how his on-field decisions were always guided by the match situation, not personal ambition. Batting great Kohli also cited the example of his partnership with Shreyas Iyer in the Champions Trophy 2025, where unbeaten India defeated New Zealand in the final to win the title.

Kohli said that he takes the lead when he is in rhythm but readily steps back if someone else is in a better rhythm to take charge. Kohli also said that his approach is not about overshadowing anyone but about prioritizing the team's success and playing according to the demands of the situation.

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"If you look at how things panned out even recently, in one of the Champions Trophy games, Shreyas (Iyer) took charge. It was never about ego. At that time, if I was in rhythm, in the flow of the game, I naturally took the initiative. If someone else was better placed to take the lead, they would do it. It was never about trying to overshadow anyone or suddenly feeling like I didn't have the ability. It's always been about understanding the game situation--and that's something I've always taken pride in. I want to play according to what the situation demands." Virat Kohli said while speaking on '18 Calling 18' on JioHotstar.

Kohli, who is currently featuring in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, has crossed the 13,000 runs mark in T20 cricket; he has become the only Indian to reach this milestone. He reached this milestone during RCB's last IPL clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

In the ongoing IPL, Kohli has scored 164 runs in four matches at an average of 54.66 and a strike rate of over 143, with two half-centuries and the best score of 67.

Kohli will now be seen in RCB's upcoming IPL clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 13 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.