Virat Kohli's Indian teammate reveals why he attacked Jasprit Bumrah straightaway on his comeback
Published - 09 Apr 2025, 11:51 AM | Updated - 09 Apr 2025, 11:36 PM
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Former India batsman Manoj Tiwary has explained the reason behind Virat Kohli attacking Jasprit Bumrah from the very start during the game between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this week.
After spending nearly three months on the sidelines, Jasprit Bumrah finally returned to action when the Mumbai Indians hosted the Bengaluru-based outfit.
Virat attacked Jasprit Bumrah right away
The cricketing world was expecting Jasprit Bumrah to make an instant impact with the ball and change his team's dwindling fortunes.
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However, the cricketing fraternity was left utterly stunned when Virat Kohli decided to go after his India teammate right from the start. While batsmen usually remain cautious against the best bowlers of the opposition team, Virat Kohli decided otherwise.
The RCB superstar hit the very first ball he faced from Bumrah for a six. Bumrah was introduced into the attack to bowl the fourth over.
On the first ball of the over, Devdutt Padikkal took a single to give the strike to Kohli, who wasted no time in making a statement. After Bumrah delivered a shortish length delivery, Kohli deposited the ball over the deep mid-wicket boundary for a six.
Manoj Tiwary on Virat Kohli's six against Bumrah:
As soon as Virat Kohli hit the first delivery he faced from Bumrah for a six, he became the talk of the town. The fans started lavishing praise on him for his bold statement. And Manoj Tiwary has now explained the reason behind Kohli's decision to attack Bumrah from the start.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, the former cricketer recalled the conversation he had with Kohli way back in 2017 while he was playing for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. Tiwary stated that Kohli likes to attack the best bowler of the opposition in order to send a message.
Goes on to show Kohli's mindset
"I remember that moment back in 2017 when I was playing for RPS. I went up to him and asked, 'How do you consistently score runs?'
"In that discussion, he said something then — and he still says it now — 'I attack the opposition’s best bowler'. It sends a message to the bowler and to the entire opposition," said Tiwary.
Kohli went on to score 67 runs against the Mumbai Indians and helped his team register a 12-run win. Bumrah, on the other hand, conceded 29 runs in 4 overs without taking a wicket.
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