Virat Kohli names player who had 'biggest impact' on him in early IPL days, it's not MS Dhoni, Chris Gayle or AB de Villiers

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Virat Kohli recently shared how former Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mark Boucher had a profound impact on him during his early years in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli described his conversations with the South African wicketkeeper-batsman as truly enlightening. The upcoming episode of the RCB Podcast features Kohli discussing this pivotal moment, with a teaser already released on the team's official social media platforms.

Virat Kohli reflected on the significant influence Mark Boucher had on him at the start of his career. Kohli credited Boucher for identifying areas of improvement in his game and providing valuable advice without being prompted.

One particular conversation with Boucher left a lasting impression on Kohli. Boucher expressed his belief that if he returned to India as a commentator in a few years and did not see Kohli representing the national team, it would signify a missed opportunity for the talented cricketer. This conversation motivated Kohli to redouble his efforts and strive for excellence in his career.

“Actually, out of all the players that I played with initially, Mark Boucher had the biggest impact on me. He figured out what my weaknesses could be — if I wanted to go to the next level, this is what I need to do — without me asking him anything. He told me that when I come to commentate in India 3 or 4 years from now, if I don’t see you playing for India, you would be doing a disservice to yourself. So he really, like, he stunned me, you know, with the conversations that he had with me,” Virat Kohli said.

In a 2020 Instagram live chat with AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli lauded Mark Boucher for his instrumental role in honing his cricket skills. Kohli reminisced about how Boucher would accompany him to the RCB nets armed with a tennis ball and racket to assist him in practicing bouncers and short balls. Boucher's sage advice to Kohli, emphasizing the importance of mastering the short ball to succeed in international cricket, left a lasting impression on the budding cricketer.

“He (Mark Boucher) used to take me into the RCB nets with a tennis ball and a racket and make me practice bouncers and short balls. At that stage, he told me, if you want to play international cricket, you have to play the short ball, otherwise forget about it. So he had the vision then — that was quite special,” Virat said during insta live with Ab de Villiers.

In the current IPL 2025 season, marking his 18th consecutive appearance, Virat Kohli has amassed an impressive total of 443 runs in just 10 innings.

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