Virat Kohli has talked about his experience playing in the 2008 inaugural Indian Premier League season. He recalls the excitement and intensity of competing against some of India’s top cricket players in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru dressing room.
The star batter revealed that there was an additional sense of expectancy in addition to the excitement. He also acknowledged that at the moment, his level wasn’t up to par.
“I was blown away when I played in the IPL for the first time. It was like entering a locker room full of legendary players like Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, as I had never actually met anyone before, with the possible exception of Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh from our North Zone days. However, pressure accompanied that excitement. I needed to prove myself since I knew I wasn’t quite at that level yet. I finally succumbed to that pressure in the first season. However, Kohli said in an exclusive interview with JioHotstar’s “18 Calling 18” that the experience was unforgettable.
was unable to make a significant early breakthrough in the IPL: Virat Kohli in action
The first few years were a bit of a challenge for him, as Kohli candidly admitted. Nonetheless, he said that after the 2011 edition, everything began to come together because Kohli was frequently called in to bat at number three.
“I didn’t get many chances to bat in the top order during my first three years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Usually, I was sent down lower. Thus, other from the odd powerful knock, I wasn’t really able to make it in the IPL early on. But I felt a little better about the 2009 season. That season’s pitches were ideal for me; I could play my shots more freely and the ball was hitting the bat wonderfully. Undoubtedly, it was a fascinating time in my professional life. I became more reliable after 2010, and by 2011, I was frequently batting at number three. My IPL career really started to take shape at that point,” Kohli continued.
The former RCB skipper has become one of the faces of the IPL over the years. Currently, he stands as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. He is currently an active part of the Bengaluru-based franchise’s setup. It is undeniable that Kohli’s batting form will be a major factor in deciding where RCB will end up as far as the ongoing edition is concerned.
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