'I enjoy batting with those who can...' - Virat Kohli names 2 batsmen he loves batting with during Instagram Live with Kevin Pietersen
Story highlights
Virat Kohli, during an Instagram Live session with Kevin Pietersen, revealed his two favourite batsmen with whom he likes to bat the most.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen conducted an Instagram Live session with Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday as the duo discussed a lot of things ranging from lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic, cricket and life. Pietersen, during the candid interaction, asked Kohli about his two favourite batsmen with whom he likes to bat.
Replying to Pietersen’s query, Kohli said he likes to bat with those who can run far while naming veteran Indian wicket-keeper MS Dhoni and Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers.
“I enjoy batting with those who can run fast with me. So it has to be MS when we play for India and AB when we play in the IPL for RCB. We don’t even talk while we are batting,” Kohli said during an Instagram live hosted by Pietersen.
Kohli and Dhoni have won many matches for India after the current Indian skipper made his debut under Dhoni in 2008 in Sri Lanka. Kohli also holds the record of scoring as many as 19 centuries under Dhoni, which is most by any Indian player under a skipper. The swashbuckling right-handed batsman went on to say that he never thought of sledging de Villiers as it may sour their personal bonding.
Pietersen and Kohli then discussed the worldwide situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and their off-the-field bonding since they played together for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL.
“Right from 2009-10, we had amazing fun at RCB. We hit off well from Day 1. You came in as the big KP a star. We had a gun team with Kallis, Boucher, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid,” Kohli said.
“We have reached three finals but haven’t won. We deserve to win a title. At RCB, we get talked about so much as we had stars. The more you think (about winning the IPL), the more it keeps running away from you. There have been added pressure lately but we need to just enjoy and not take pressure.”
Pietersen had earlier hosted Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.