Kohli tells young cricketers: On-field success requires behind-the-scenes work
Kohli believes versatility is what separates good players from great ones
Ahmedabad: After helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru defend their IPL crown, veteran batter Virat Kohli reflected on the evolution of his batting, the demands of modern T20 cricket and the lessons he hopes the next generation of Indian cricketers can take from his journey as he urged the up-and-coming cricketers to read the game well and play according to the demands and situation.
Kohli, who played a pivotal role in RCB’s title-winning game on Sunday against the Gujarat Titans and finished the season with another impressive run-scoring effort, said the key to longevity is continuous improvement and adapting to the changing nature of the game.
“The fact that I continue to play and compete, I want to keep improving and find areas in my game where I can make a difference and help the team score. That’s always been my focus,” Kohli said in a video shared by IPL.
Kohli turned his attention to young cricketers, stressing that success is not solely about power-hitting but about understanding match situations and developing multiple ways to contribute.
“It’s about understanding situations in the game. The preparation has to be such that you can play in 3-4 different ways. If the pitch gets tough, you should be able to hit boundaries and not just sixes. Even if that’s not possible, you should be able to rotate, strike and stay in the game,” he said.
According to Kohli, the foundation for those solutions is laid long before match day, and the former India captain expressed his desire to pass on those lessons whenever younger players seek his guidance.
“For that, you need to do the work behind the scenes when you’re not competing. That’s probably the process to go about things when you want to make an impact on the field. Hopefully, whoever comes to have a chat with me, I can convey the same message with clarity. Keep the standard of Indian cricket high,” he mentioned.
He believes versatility is what separates good players from great ones, as he said, “I try to prepare a well-rounded game and try to implement that as best as I can in every situation that I play. That’s the only thing I urge the youngsters to understand. Play according to the situation and the demands of the game. If you stay with the situation of the game, you’re always going to be able to find solutions.”
The veteran batter acknowledged that T20 cricket has undergone significant changes in recent years, forcing even established players to reassess their methods. “The game is changing pretty rapidly. Just an opportunity for me to look at areas where I can get better. The explosive side of the game was something that needs to be taken care of nowadays.”
While known more for timing and placement than brute power, Kohli explained how he has adapted without straying from his strengths and also pointed to a statistic that reinforces his value to the team.
“I’m not a guy who will hit 40-50 sixes in a season, but I can hit 70-80 fours. I really worked on that aspect of my game. I’m going to hit the shots I can hit more often and take the bowlers on. That’s always been my goal to be as consistent and impactful as possible. Feels good to know that when I play longer in the game, our success rate is 100% for the last two seasons. That gives me clarity as well that if I back for long enough in the game, our chances of winning improve significantly. Of course, it’s a great feeling,” the 37-year-old said.
Looking back at RCB’s title defence, Kohli said the champions entered the final with complete confidence in their abilities after dominating the league stage. That belief, he said, was built on months of consistent performances.
“We came to the game today, didn’t feel the same as last year. We were so relaxed, so confident of our skill sets and we just knew if we play to our potential, we are the best team in the comp.
“And the league stage was a proof of that. We finished top of the league table and ended up getting to the finals before everyone else. And yeah, just very professional, very mature performance from the whole team throughout the season. And yeah, we just didn’t have any doubts coming in today,” Kohli expressed.
