Side Mein Aa: Kohli Recalls Heated Moment with Ishant Sharma
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Virat Kohli is one of the few current cricketers who has participated in every season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He notably took part in the inaugural match at the renowned Eden Gardens, where the Royal Challengers Bangalore (now known as Royal Challengers Bengaluru) faced off against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Kohli vividly recalls Brendon McCullum's remarkable innings, the electrifying atmosphere in Kolkata, and the mix of uncertainty and excitement that surrounded the players regarding the new tournament. Recently, he shared an untold story from that first IPL match.
Having just emerged victorious from the U-19 World Cup and carrying the weight of expectations at the age of 18, Kohli stepped onto the field at Eden Gardens to chase a daunting target of 223 runs. However, the pressure of an early wicket loss and the charged environment quickly overwhelmed him.
In a revealing discussion on '18 Calling 18' on Hotstar, Kohli reflected on how Ishant Sharma, a bowler he had faced many times in practice sessions as both were part of the Delhi Ranji team, became a formidable opponent due to the intense atmosphere in Kolkata. He struggled against the Indian fast bowler during the match.
"What I find interesting, and have never mentioned before, is that Ishant and I have played all our cricket together, so I have faced him frequently. Yet, in that match, he seemed to bowl at an entirely different level, and that was due to the pressure. The environment played a significant role. If I had faced him in the nets, I wouldn't have felt intimidated, but on that day, I felt unable to connect with any of his deliveries, and that was a result of the atmosphere and the pressure," he explained.
When Ishant Sharma repeatedly sledged Virat Kohli
The RCB star remarked that Ishant, who had just returned from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia—where he gained recognition for dismissing Ricky Ponting in the Perth match—continuously sledged him during the first over he faced against the fast bowler. However, Kohli was prepared with a response.
"We were staying at different hotels, so we didn't discuss the game. But yes, he was quite vocal with his sledging. I mean, seriously... he had just come back from Australia, sporting a new hairstyle, which gave him that star-like demeanor. I told him, 'Step aside, and I'll show you something.' But it was all in good fun," he stated.
Kohli was ultimately dismissed by Ashok Dinda in the following over, managing only one run off five balls, as RCB suffered a defeat by 140 runs.
The 36-year-old has made significant strides in both his international and IPL careers. In the T20 tournament, he currently holds the record for the highest run-scorer with 8,168 runs in 256 matches, all played for RCB. He also ranks second for the most fifty-plus scores (65) in IPL history, just one behind leader David Warner.
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