I Remember Ray Jennings Telling Virat Kohli, "He Will Be Next Indian Captain": Dillon du Preez

Former South Africa all-rounder Dillon du Preez revealed that Ray Jennings in 2009 had already predicted that Virat Kohli would lead the Indian cricket team.

Kohli is the only player who has been with Royal Challengers Bangalore since the inception of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

Kohli has played 207 matches for the franchise in the last 14 seasons and is the current leading run-scorer of the tournament with 6283 runs at the strike rate of 129.95.

I remember Ray Jennings telling Virat he will be the next Indian captain: Dillon du Preez

Kohli was appointed as the team’s captain, taking over the reins from New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori in the middle of IPL 2012.

Du Preez, who has played a couple of matches for RCB in the IPL 2009 season that was held in South Africa, recalled the moment when then RCB head coach Jennings had made a prediction about Kohli’s future.

“Virat was still a youngster in 2009, didn’t really know him that well, but from Day 1 you could see this guy could play. I remember Ray Jennings telling Virat he will be the next Indian captain, What a vision! Till today he is one of my favourites to watch,’ Du Preez told Swag Cricket.

Being in the change room of RCB definitely changed my life: Dillon du Preez

Royal Challengers hasn’t won a single IPL title in 14 years despite having the ranks of best players in the world. Du Preez recalled the dressing room moment when he saw himself with some of the great players of the world during IPL 2009.

“Being in the change room of RCB definitely changed my life. I remember sitting there in the corner to my right I had Dravid and to my left Kumble was sitting,” Du Preez said.

“When I looked in front of me I saw Pietersen, Kallis, Boucher, Taylor, Virat and the 2 Kumar’s (Praveen and R Vinay Kumar). I remember thinking…. What the hell am I doing here. You can’t buy the experience in that change room,” he added.

Du Preez never played for the South Africa national cricket team but played 92 First-Class matches and 134 List A games for Knights in South Africa’s domestic competitions. The Port Elizabeth-born Du Preez was appointed South Africa women’s team coach.

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