"I find him quite bizarre": Ravichandran Ashwin’s no-nonsense verdict on Virat Kohli

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed details about his recent conversations with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli. After RCB's win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the IPL 2026 opener, the cricketer-turned-commentator showered praise on Kohli's fitness and work ethic.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down a 202-run target at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, March 28. Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 off 38 deliveries. Fast bowler Jacob Duffy, who dismantled the Sunrisers' top order during the powerplay, secured the Player of the Match award.

I Find Him Quite Bizarre at This Age - Ravichandran Ashwin on Virat Kohli

Ravichandran Ashwin said that Virat Kohli consistently shows excellent energy while running between the wickets, regardless of his age. The former Indian spinner added that Kohli is a perfect role model for aspiring cricketers.

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“I find him quite bizarre at this age. I tell him this during our chats now and then. He was batting on 40-odd, there was a partnership going on, and RCB were coasting," Ashwin said on JioHotstar’s ‘Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live’.

"He ran through for the first single, stopped there, and the other batter hadn’t even reached halfway, but he was already looking for a second. That was a 57-metre boundary on the leg side, and it shows the enthusiasm he still brings to the game,” he added.

“He walks the talk. It’s almost like he’s putting on a show for people to see how the game should be played, play it hard and play it the way it’s meant to be played. That stood out to me with respect to what Virat did. And if this is the way RCB are going to bat, Virat needs to bat the full 20 overs.”

Jacob Duffy Didn’t Try to Do That Against Abhishek Sharma - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin said that Jacob Duffy quickly adjusted his bowling lengths to dismiss aggressive batters like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Nitish Kumar Reddy inside the powerplay.

“When Jacob Duffy was picked at the auction, I was probably the first one to say it was an amazing pick to replace Josh Hazlewood. At that time, he was the No.1 T20 bowler," Ashwin stated.

"He had also taken a six-wicket haul in a Test match and is right in the prime of his career. He has bowled a lot in New Zealand and knows exactly what he is doing. What really stood out is that he can swing the ball both ways, but he didn’t try to do that against Abhishek Sharma.”

Duffy made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and delivered an impressive spell with the new ball. The pacer took crucial wickets for just 22 runs against the strong Sunrisers Hyderabad top order.

After That, Jacob Duffy Stayed Away from That Length - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out that Jacob Duffy quickly learned from his early mistake after Travis Head hit him straight down the ground. Sunrisers Hyderabad interim captain Ishan Kishan played a knock of 80 runs, even after Duffy picked up three wickets.

“The first time he bowled full to Travis Head, he got pumped down the ground, a good lesson learned. After that, he stayed away from that length and bowled very good areas. Tactically, RCB were superior, and he executed those plans beautifully. He was probably the reason the scoring was kept in check. With around 400 runs in the day, it was still a low-scoring game by Chinnaswamy standards,” the former Indian spinner stated.

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