Playing against Virat Kohli isn't daunting as much as it is annoying: Robin Uthappa

Ahead of the IPL 2024 which begins on March 22, Live and Exclusive on JioCinema, in the second episode of JioCinema’s ‘Legends Lounge’, experts Anil Kumble, Mike Hesson, Eoin Morgan and Robin Uthappa weighed in on Virat Kohli’s dominance in the T20 format, his personality and aura on the field, and how he has progressed as a cricketer over the years. Excerpts:

Anil Kumble on one word that comes to his mind when asked about Kohli's legacy: I would say consistency. I saw him in RCB when I was a part of RCB, that's where he started his T20 career, after being a U-19 World Cup winner. From there, the transformation in his fitness, the way he wanted to play his cricket, and the performances he's put in white-ball cricket. In test cricket, we know his greatness. In T20 cricket for India, his consistency over a period of time has been immense. The kind of aggression and attitude he brings on the field is something that helps the team get a kind of intensity.

Also read: IPL 2024: RCB celebrate Virat Kohli's 16-year-long loyalty with franchise

Mike Hesson on how Virat was in the RCB dressing room: There are two sides. You talked about the side on the field, but he's very calm off the field. When youngsters come into the team or overseas players, he'd spend time getting to know them. This was after he was a captain as well. It's not a captain thing, it's a genuine want to share and communicate about things other than cricket.

Robin Uthappa on experience of playing against Virat: Playing against Virat isn't daunting as much as it is annoying. As an opposition, he could be grating, in your face all the time. You'd always feel like there's a battle happening with a bowler but there's an extra battle happening with an extra-cover fielder because he's coming at you all the time. He's throwing the ball and it's whizzing past your head. You feel that pressure all the time.

Eoin Morgan on Virat Kohli's approach in T20 cricket: I highly regard him as one of the greatest of the modern era, across all three formats. When you have a player of that calibre in your side, it's crucial that you're constantly asking him to get the best out of himself because with that brings a huge ceiling, as we've seen in the past. The level of inspiration and intensity that he brings lifts everybody within the group.