{"id":8685,"date":"2026-05-10T01:00:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T01:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/batting-with-virat-kohli-changes-everything-for-jacob-bethell-at-rcb"},"modified":"2026-05-10T01:00:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T01:00:12","slug":"batting-with-virat-kohli-changes-everything-for-jacob-bethell-at-rcb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/batting-with-virat-kohli-changes-everything-for-jacob-bethell-at-rcb","title":{"rendered":"Batting with Virat Kohli changes everything for Jacob Bethell at RCB"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Jacob Bethell has opened up on what it feels like to bat alongside Virat Kohli, after recent matches saw the youngster take the new-ball role with the RCB icon at the other end. Bethell\u2019s promotion to the top order came after Phil Salt was ruled out with an injury, thrusting the England batter into a high-pressure slot alongside one of the most scrutinised players in T20 cricket.<\/p>\n<p>At 22, Bethell has already attracted attention for his talent, but sharing the crease with Kohli has given him a front-row view of how an elite performer prepares and approaches each phase of an innings. The IPL, with its relentless tempo and tight margins, often becomes a training ground where emerging batters can absorb habits from seasoned stars\u2014and Bethell suggested he\u2019s benefiting directly from that environment.<\/p>\n<h3>Quick facts<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Jacob Bethell is opening the innings for RCB alongside Virat Kohli in recent matches.<\/li>\n<li>Bethell\u2019s role at the top came after Phil Salt was sidelined with an injury.<\/li>\n<li>Bethell is 22 years old and is an England batter.<\/li>\n<li>RCB played their first five home matches of IPL 2026 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.<\/li>\n<li>The franchise will move to Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium for the final two home fixtures.<\/li>\n<li>RCB\u2019s next match is against Mumbai Indians, with Bethell speaking ahead of the clash.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bethell also explained why batting next to Kohli hasn\u2019t felt like an extra burden. He said the presence of a player of Kohli\u2019s stature can actually lift pressure off his own shoulders, because much of the attention naturally gravitates toward the established star\u2014leaving him freer to express himself.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking about the dynamic at the crease, Bethell described it as \u201ccool\u201d and emphasised that it\u2019s a comfortable experience to be involved with Kohli both on the field and in the dressing room. He added that having someone of that calibre in the side means you can rely on him, and that the spotlight on Kohli often reduces the intensity elsewhere in the batting unit.<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the upcoming MI clash, Bethell summed up the mindset by saying it doesn\u2019t weigh on him; rather, it helps him play with more freedom. In his view, the setup allows him to focus on his own execution while letting Kohli\u2019s class do what it does best for the team.<\/p>\n<h3>Raipur shift: \u201chome away from home\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>Bethell then turned to RCB\u2019s temporary home stretch in Raipur, describing it as a \u201chome away from home\u201d for the franchise. He noted that the team received a warm welcome at the hotel and that the transition has been smooth, with the camp settling in quickly since arriving for the final phase of their home campaign.<\/p>\n<p>RCB had initially hosted their first five matches of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, but the schedule now requires a move to Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium for the last two home games under a prior arrangement. Bethell stressed that training on the ground will be crucial, as the side needs to adapt fast to the conditions.<\/p>\n<p>He pointed out that Mumbai Indians have already spent a couple of days in Raipur, but he didn\u2019t believe that factor would be decisive. With confidence in their ability to adjust, Bethell suggested RCB will acclimatise quickly and come out ready for the contest against MI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Jacob Bethell has opened up on what it feels like to bat alongside Virat Kohli, after recent matches saw the youngster&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8684,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Jacob Bethell vs Virat Kohli: RCB IPL batting update","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Jacob Bethell reveals how batting with Virat Kohli is transforming his IPL role for RCB, after Phil Salt\u2019s injury reshuffled the top order.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin 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