“Tu to Allan Donald ban gaya hai” - Virat Kohli in awe of Venkatesh Iyer’s stunning delivery in RCB nets
Published - 27 Mar 2026, 03:40 PM
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli was impressed with all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer during a recent practice session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Kohli was left in awe after Iyer uprooted the stumps with a sharp delivery during the nets ahead of the season opener.
The defending champions will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, March 28. Notably, the Royal Challengers acquired Iyer for ₹7 crore during the IPL 2026 mini auction last year after outbidding Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gujarat Titans (GT), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a fierce bidding war.
Virat Kohli Compares Venkatesh Iyer to Allan Donald During Nets Session
Reacting to the impressive bowling display in the nets, Virat Kohli compared Venkatesh Iyer to South African fast-bowling legend Allan Donald. Kohli was impressed by the pace and accuracy shown by the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder.
After Venkatesh knocked over the stumps during the net session, Kohli expressed his admiration by comparing the medium pacer’s aggression and rhythm to that of the legendary South African speedster.
“Venkateshwar, tu to Allan Donald bana hua hai (Venkatesh, you have become like Allan Donald),” Kohli said in a viral video.
Watch the video of the same posted by a user on Instagram below:
View this post on Instagram
Venkatesh Iyer's Role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB head coach Andy Flower highlighted the advantage of having Venkatesh Iyer as a seam-bowling option. With Yash Dayal unavailable and Josh Hazlewood doubtful for the opening matches, Flower emphasized that brief spells from Venkatesh can relieve pressure on the attack.
“Even someone bowling one over of seam helps a lot. It takes pressure off one another bowler. One over, that’s important.”
RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat said that the franchise signed the former Kolkata Knight Riders player to bolster the batting lineup.
“My main reason to opt for Venky is that he is a good batter.”
Venkatesh Iyer Adds Experience To RCB Setup Ahead Of IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will rely heavily on Virat Kohli, who was the leading run-scorer for the franchise in the Indian Premier League 2025.
The right-handed batter amassed 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, including eight half-centuries. Rajat Patidar's side clinched their maiden title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Venkatesh Iyer brings significant experience to RCB. He has scored 1,468 runs in 56 innings at a strike rate of 137.32, including one century and 12 fifties. Iyer was also a key member of KKR’s title-winning campaign under Shreyas Iyer in 2024. He scored 370 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 158.79.
With the ball, he has taken three wickets in nine IPL matches at an economy rate of 10.59. Overall, he has picked up 55 wickets in 76 T20s at an economy rate of 7.76.
Also read: Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Full Schedule: GT Fixtures, Dates, Timings and Venues | Squad and Coaches
About the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla...
