Former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) player AB de Villiers revealed that he often needed to calm down Virat Kohli on the field due to his intense captaincy style.
However, de Villiers noted that the Indian batting powerhouse has recently shown a more relaxed demeanor, which bodes well for India’s 2023 World Cup campaign.
Kohli faced a period of struggle in international cricket, spanning over 1000 days without a century. He broke this streak with a three-figure score during the Asia Cup in September of the prior year.
Additionally, after a disappointing tour of England, the 34-year-old briefly stepped away from the game and returned with a changed attitude.
In a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, De Villiers delved extensively into Kohli’s intense nature and expressed his views on the transformed, more laid-back side of the former Indian captain.
“He’s an incredible character, very intense on the cricket field. Throughout my whole IPL career, I have tried to calm him down. You can ask him; he’ll vouch for me. I’ve always tried to tell him, ‘Virat relax. It’s okay, everything is fine,’” he said.
“He so badly wants RCB to win, he would want to control every player on the field and make sure everyone is in the right place all the time, with every ball. You could see him get emotional on the field, which I absolutely love. He means good, he wants to win,” the former RCB star added.
De Villiers also expressed his satisfaction with Kohli’s recent involvement as a mentor within the Indian team.
“Sometimes he needs to calm down and he’s been doing that of late. I am seen him really relaxed in taking on more of a senior role in the team and sort of doing the whole meditation kind of role.”
“If Virat does that a bit more, India might have a very good chance in this World Cup to bring that trophy home,” the 39-year-old elaborated.
Kohli was recently active during the West Indies tour, achieving scores of 76 and 121 in the two-game Test series.
“He teaches and coaches everyone” – De Villiers Praises Virat Kohli
Providing additional insight into Kohli’s off-field persona, the ex-South African captain characterized the Indian cricketer as an exceptional individual with a desire to assist everyone.
“In the change room, Virat’s got a helping hand for every single person. He’s helped me before, he helps every youngster. He teaches and coaches everyone. He’s a wonderful human being off the field and always wants to help everyone,” De Villiers commented.
Kohli is set to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka and Pakistan between August 30 and September 17.
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