‘Virat Kohli has adjusted his style, but he will have big impact in IPL 2025’: Kane Wiliamson
Virat Kohli’s tweaked batting approaches may have changed the style of his batsmanship, but not his impact and hunger, feels former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
The Kiwi batting great said that he has little doubt that Kohli will have a “big impact” on the fortunes of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025 after a successful ODI stint with India earlier this month.
Kohli displayed glimpses of his old form during the recent Champions Trophy, scoring over 220 runs in the tournament and was adjudged Player of the Match in the semifinal against Australia. The 36-year-old will once again lead the RCB batting line-up from the opening slot. Kohli had also won the Orange Cap with 741 runs in 15 innings last year.
Kohli, a part of the first RCB XI that featured in the inaugural IPL Match against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008, will walk out for the Bengaluru side yet again in the first season-opening contest between the sides in 17 years at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.
“No doubt he’s going to have a big impact again as he has done in almost every season of this tournament. I know he’s extremely motivated with RCB to push for a title and I’m sure this season they’ll be there or thereabouts,” Williamson told media during an interaction on Friday.
Williamson, who went unsold in last year’s IPL auction, observed that Kohli’s changed approach to the game will not affect his batting or effectiveness.
“It’s quite interesting as players kind of go into different stages of their career, different phases. He’s obviously been on the scene for a number of years but his style perhaps adjusts a little bit.
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“But the hunger remains and the passion remains and we’ve seen that in his performances recently as well,” he added.
– With PTI Inputs
