IPL pushes you mentally and competitively in various ways other formats don’t: Virat Kohli

Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli is currently playing his 18th consecutive season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). With three wins so far, RCB sits at third place in the points table. The right-handed batter is in great form, having scored 164 runs in this year's IPL so far, including two half-centuries. With the appointment of Rajat Patidar as the new skipper, RCB looks more balanced and determined than ever to clinch their first IPL title.

The stalwart explained that his on-field decisions are driven by the match situation rather than personal ambitions. The RCB top-order batter noted that if he is in good flow, he naturally takes charge, but if not, he is always willing to let others step up. The former Indian captain admitted his commitment to playing selflessly and adapting to the needs of the game.

“If you look at how things panned out even recently, in one of the Champions Trophy games, Shreyas (Iyer) took charge. It was never about ego. At that time, if I was in rhythm, in the flow of the game, I naturally took the initiative. If someone else was better placed to take the lead, they would do it. It was never about trying to overshadow anyone or suddenly feeling like I don't have the ability. It’s always been about understanding the game situation—and that’s something I’ve always taken pride in. I want to play according to what the situation demands,” Kohli said to JioHotstar.

Also read: What if MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli retire this season?

Influence of IPL on Kohli's skills

The former RCB captain emphasised that IPL’s dynamic format has helped him gain a deeper understanding of the game and become mentally stronger. The 36-year-old acknowledged that the tournament is extremely challenging. If a team is at the top, it must work hard to maintain its lead, and if at the bottom, it must fight back to stay in contention. He added that this constant pressure has driven him to improve and evolve his T20 skills.

“IPL challenges you in a very unique way because of how the tournament is structured. It’s not like a short bilateral series, it spans several weeks, and your position on the points table keeps shifting. That constantly changing scenario brings different kinds of pressure.

"When you are at the top, there’s the pressure to maintain that lead. If you’re near the bottom, you need extra motivation to bounce back. And if you’re somewhere in the middle, where you need to win, say, three out of five games, even a single loss can suddenly add a lot of pressure. This dynamic nature of the tournament pushes you mentally and competitively in various ways other formats don’t. It’s also driven me to constantly improve and evolve my T20 skill set,” he added.