Listening to Virat Kohli speak last night was genuinely refreshing. For fans, chances to hear him in public are few and far between these days, and the sense of occasion is hard to ignore. The era when his captaincy meant he was on the field throughout, and where stump-to-stump conversations during matches felt almost routine, has faded. Nowadays, it feels less like a regular feature and more like a rare privilege. That’s exactly what made his words land so well as he opened up about what batting means to him—love for the craft, affection for the game—and then, almost casually, reminded everyone that time is moving quickly for him. In all likelihood, Kohli’s international playing career for India is set to conclude after next year’s World Cup, and his club cricket path with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL may stretch for only a couple more seasons at most.
The message was clear: the clock is ticking. Fans, and even fellow professionals who have shared dressing rooms with him, seem to understand that it may be a long wait before another player carries a comparable presence. That broader feeling was noticeable immediately after the match, when Dwayne Bravo—Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowling coach—made a beeline to Kohli to share a brief, warm moment. Kohli and Bravo exchanged laughs in a scene that looked personal, like a conversation built on mutual respect and understanding.
RCB also circulated a dressing-room clip on its social media account showing Tim David and head coach Andy Flower presenting Kohli with a celebratory moment. Amid the tributes, Bravo’s gesture stood out. As Kohli signed a jersey for the West Indies great, Bravo delivered the message many supporters wish they could say directly: “Play as long as possible, ok? This sport needs you.”
Padikkal’s take on Kohli’s innings
Devdutt Padikkal, who earned his RCB debut under Kohli in 2020, offered a detailed reflection on the knock that produced a major moment in the chase. Padikkal recalled that he and Kohli put together a 92-run partnership during a difficult target chase of 193, and he described Kohli’s performance as something special to witness.
“It was incredible to watch. I think I had the best seat in the house. Some of the shots he played were simply remarkable,” Padikkal said. He added that coming into the match after two low scores is never comfortable, yet Kohli demonstrated why he is the player he is.
Padikkal was also quick to highlight the mindset behind the innings. “To not have that on his mind and to just go out there and bat the way he does was something incredible. Really happy to see him get those runs,” he explained.
Padikkal then went beyond the headline and addressed how the pair approached the situation. “I don’t think we really went into the specifics of anchoring. It was more about making sure we took the game to a certain stage where we felt the rest of our batting line-up would be in a comfortable position,” he said.
He pointed to recent matches as context, noting that RCB had been losing wickets early and struggling to build lasting partnerships. “Over the last couple of games, we’ve been in situations where we lost a couple of wickets early, and never stitched partnerships together,” Padikkal added.
Finally, he explained the intent once he and Kohli were together. “I think it was important today that once I went in, both of us spoke about elongating that partnership for as long as possible and then taking it from there.”
