"Can dismiss him…": CSK star issues big warning to Virat Kohli as rivalry heats up

Virat Kohli’s dominance with the bat across the format has left bowlers across the world searching for answers. Virat Kohli has been the nightmare of bowlers, turning even the best attacks into ordinary ones with his batting excellence for more than a decade.

However, Shreyas Gopal is one of the only few bowlers who have some impressive records against the Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli. The Karnataka leg-spinner has shown remarkable control and fearlessness in the IPL, where even the most seasoned bowlers have been dismantled.

Shreyas Gopal’s googly brings rare success against Virat Kohli

Gopal’s ability to rely on his leg-spin and deceptive googly has made him a rare threat with the ball for the modern batting giant, and his numbers are proof of it. Out of the six times he has bowled to Virat Kohli in the IPL, Gopal has dismissed the former RCB captain thrice.

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Shreyas Gopal said on Sports Yaari: “It's very difficult to plan for a player like Virat Kohli. I had in mind that I should focus on legspin and googly. I should keep putting it in the same place. Because a good batsman doesn't have that much weakness. Especially at this level. More or less, it was about how to put a dot ball, how to put a one-run ball, how to over-setup.

"That was in my mind. And I had in mind that I should put a few googly balls on the pad. Execution obviously was very good at that time. But obviously, it wasn't like Virat came and gave it to me, and I would get a wicket. I ate a lot when he was batting. But obviously, getting someone out like that is massive confidence for me.”

He has a staggering 50% strike rate against one of the toughest batters in history, Kohli. While many international bowlers have struggled to even disturb Kohli’s focus, Gopal’s simple yet sharp strategy has brought him unexpected success against the former Indian captain.

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Bowling to him is always very challenging: Shreyas Gopal

Gopal further added, “Virat is a mystery that the whole world wants to solve. I had bowled to him six times and got him out three times—a 50% success rate! The plan was simple: focus on the googly, keep it in the right spot, and stay consistent. There's no magic; it's about executing your plan, keeping confidence, and being patient. My goal was just to bowl dot balls and set up the over.”

The spinner said that dismissing Kohli has given him a huge boost of confidence, and now he hopes to revive the rivalry once again.

He further said, “I've also conceded a fair number of runs against him, but getting a player like Kohli out boosts your confidence. I hope that if I bowl to him again, I can dismiss him a few more times. However, bowling to him is always very challenging.”

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— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) August 26, 2025

Shreyas Gopal reflects on sharing CSK dressing room with MS Dhoni

Meanwhile, Shreyas Gopal’s IPL 2025 journey with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) may not have given him much game time, but it gave him something far more valuable, and that is the opportunity to watch MS Dhoni from close.

Despite spending the entire IPL 2025 season on the bench after being picked for ₹30 lakh in the mega auction, the leg-spinner described the experience of sharing the CSK dressing room with Dhoni as unforgettable.

Gopal, who is currently leading Mangalore Dragons in the Maharaja Trophy 2025, highlighted how Dhoni’s calmness, his ability to manage stardom, and the way he handles pressure set him apart from others.

He signed off by saying, “It’s very hard to be MS Dhoni; it’s extremely hard."

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