Virat Kohli's reference to Shreyas Iyer in CT while addressing ‘ego’ talks: '…something I've always taken pride in'
Virat Kohli talked in detail about how he approaches his batting. He said he takes the lead when he's in rhythm.
Team India batting maestro Virat Kohli opened up on his batting approach and said he never tries to overshadow anyone in the team, and his focus is to understand the situation and play accordingly. Kohli has been the best in the business for the past decade, especially in white-ball cricket, and over the years, he mastered the role of anchor in the batting. Hailed as the 'Chase Master', the batting maestro has carved a phenomenal record while batting second, expertly tailoring his innings to the team's needs and leading them to victory on numerous occasions.
Kohli talked in detail about how he approaches his batting. He said he takes the lead when he's in rhythm but also analyses whether the batter at the other end is in a better position to take charge, and then he is ready to step back. He pointed out that during the Champions Trophy, when he realised that Shreyas Iyer was in a better position to attack, he took the anchors as his intentions were never to overshadow anyone.
"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," Kohli said while speaking on '18 Calling 18' on JioHotstar.
“I want to play according to what…”: Virat Kohli
Kohli is taking the same approach in the ongoing IPL 2025. He has stepped back in terms of taking charge when other batters like Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar attack the bowlers from one end. The former RCB skipper has started another IPL season on an emphatic note with 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.
The 36-year-old stated that his approach is to understand what the team demands in a particular situation, and then he tries to mould himself to play that role.
"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," the former RCB skipper added.
