The big surprise as Virat Kohli is the name of the RCB player, whose ‘biggest impact on him during the early days’

Virat Kohli, the batter of Star India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), recalled how former South African wicket-keeper-bitter Mark Boucher influenced him during his early years in the Indian Premier League (IPL), stating that his conversation with the protein legend “shocked”. In IPL history, RCB’s leading run-sheet RCB was speaking in the upcoming episode of Podcast, a trailer of which was released on the official X handle of the team.

Speaking on his conversation with Boucher, who called him to some golf sports, Virat said, “I played in the beginning, the boucher had the biggest impact on me. They came to know what my weaknesses could, if I wanted to go to the next level, I don’t have to ask anything.

Virat’s undisputed bond with RCB, travel through the final height and crushing the climb of a cricketer’s life, insight into the mindset that keeps him consistent at the highest level … pic.twitter.com/iyonkhyc3k

– Royal Challengers Bangalore (@Rcbtweets) 2 May, 2025

Boucher played for RCB from 2008-10, when Virat was slowly looking for his feet in international cricket and did not play Test cricket for India. In 27 matches, Boucher scored 388 runs at an average of 29.85, with half a century.

Virat also opened his loyalty to RCB, a franchise that he has been trapped since the beginning of his IPL career, saying “Relationship and mutual honor” he is with the franchise.

He said, “The love I have received from fans, I don’t think any silver utensils or a trophy can come close to him.”

Virat also said that nothing has changed in the IPL after the T20I retirement.

“I don’t think things have changed for me in any way. The decision (to leave the T20 Eye) was understood purely that there is a new set of players who are more than ready and require time, they need to develop, handle pressure, play pressure, play in different parts of the world, and play a 2 -year cycle to play in different parts of the world, and play enough games at the point where they come to the world cup.

During the ongoing IPL, Virat is sitting third among the highest run-songs, with 443 runs in 10 innings of 63.28, a strike rate of around 139, and six fifties, 73*.

His side ranks second in the table with seven wins and three defeats, and he will host Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home on Saturday.