Lucknow Super Giants bowling coach Bharat Arun has opened up about what transpired when Virat Kohli met the LSG coaching group shortly after the IPL meeting against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The discussion was sparked by a moment that turned the contest: young fast bowler Prince Yadav struck Kohli early in the chase, dismissing the RCB batter for a duck with a delivery that looked tailored to perfection.
How the dismissal unfolded
- RCB set a challenging 213-run target, forcing Kohli and his team to chase with urgency.
- Prince Yadav produced a remarkable piece of pace on his second ball of the spell, removing Kohli for a rare failure in the innings.
- The wicket came from a planned sequence: first, Prince bowled one that moved away outside off stump, prompting Kohli to play cautiously.
- Then Prince followed with a sharper incoming ball that beat the bat entirely, crashing into the stumps.
- Kohli appeared visibly stunned in the moment, with the dismissal leaving little room for negotiation.
After the match, Kohli was seen speaking with Bharat Arun and Prince Yadav on the ground. Within hours, images of the interaction started circulating widely on social media, adding an extra layer to the already memorable wicket.
What Kohli asked Bharat Arun
Bharat Arun later recalled that even Kohli seemed amazed by the way the ball came out of Prince’s hand. In the conversation, Kohli asked him, “How did he bowl that ball?” Arun explained that the delivery wasn’t just effective—it was unusual, and the movement was difficult to replicate on command.
Arun described the ball as a “dream delivery” and went on to explain why consistent movement like that is rarely repeatable for fast bowlers. He noted that in many cases, out-swingers tend to swing through the air, and after pitching, the ball comes in due to seam position or how it lands. In contrast, what Prince delivered looked harder to execute deliberately, yet Arun said it becomes possible when a bowler works consistently on swing and the skill is translated into match situations.
Prince Yadav’s development focus ahead of the season
Arun also shed light on how Prince’s growth was handled before the season began. He said the support staff spent significant time during pre-season camps helping the youngster identify and understand his strengths, then refining how to apply them under pressure.
According to Arun, the team’s approach included detailed one-on-one sessions during the camps. The goal was to ensure Prince could maintain clarity when the match situation becomes tense—because, in Arun’s view, bowlers who stay confident in executing their specific strengths are usually the most effective when it matters.
Arun added that last year Prince had already shown glimpses of what he could achieve, and the camps this year were built around those observations. By discussing his strengths, working on execution, and challenging him session after session, the coaching group aimed to fine-tune his ability to deliver in key moments—something Kohli experienced firsthand when Prince’s planned movement ended in a direct hit on the stumps.
