‘I will remember those tips forever’ – Venkatesh Iyer recalls his fruitful conversation with Virat Kohli

Venkatesh Iyer is arguably the biggest find of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The all-rounder, who didn’t feature in the first installment, put up some astonishing performances in the UAE leg and turned Kolkata Knight Riders’ fortunes. His stellar show in the gala tournament has now earned him a maiden call-up in the national team. Iyer has been selected in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, which gets underway on November 17.

With fast-bowling all-rounders being a rare commodity in Indian cricket, Iyer has a brilliant chance to shine against the Kiwis and stake a claim in India’s first-choice playing XI. With the next T20 World Cup being less than a year away, selectors would be looking to groom Iyer.

Virat Kohli said just be focused on what you are doing: Venkatesh Iyer

The southpaw was event a part of the net players that the Indian team had assembled for the T20 World Cup 2021. During one of the training sessions, Iyer received some important pieces of advice from none other than Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

“During the nets sessions, I had interactions with most of the senior players. Virat bhai said just be focused on what you are doing. He also said you are doing good and keep performing and keep working hard. He asked me to keep focusing on my game. I will remember those tips from Virat bhai forever,” Iyer said in an interview with timesofindia.com.

Meanwhile, Kohli has stepped down as India’s T20I campaign following his side’s campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021. Rohit Sharma has taken over the charge from him and Iyer is keen to learn under the Hitman.

“I am really excited to play under Rohit bhai. I am really looking forward to it. He is such a great player. The team looks really strong. I am sure we will perform well. It will be a huge learning experience as well and it will be exciting to play under Rohit bhai,” Iyer added further.

Notably, Hardik Pandya, who has been struggling with fitness issues for a while, has been dropped from New Zealand T20Is. Hence, Iyer has a great chance to showcase his multi-dimensional skills and impress the national selectors.