Virat Kohli Reveals The Advice That Mark Boucher Gave Him During The 2008 IPL

Virat Kohli has impinged himself into the annals of the folklore as one of the greatest batsmen of all time in the past decade or so. Kohli was also always primed for greatness after he had shot to limelight when he leads the India U-19s to World Cup glory in March 2008.

A month later, the chubby 18-year-old found himself in the company of established International stars like Dale Steyn, Mark Boucher, Rahul Dravid, and Anil Kumble in the Royal Challengers Bangalore dressing room during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League.

The Indian captain has time and again reiterated how spending time with the likes of Boucher, Steyn, and other senior cricketers helped him grow into a cricketer that he is today.

During an Instagram Live session with his best friend and Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli revealed that it was Mark Boucher who had first advised him that he should work on tackling the short ball if he has to succeed at the International level.

“Boucher told me in 2008 to improve my game against the short ball. He had the vision,” Virat Kohli told AB de Villiers.

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Virat Kohli reveals what Mark Boucher told him during the 2008 IPL

Kohli further revealed that Boucher had told him if, in four years’ time, he doesn’t see the Delhi cricketer playing for the Indian team, he’ll be very disappointed.

“He also told me when I come to India in four years’ time and if I don’t see you playing for India, I will be disappointed,” Kohli added.

Virat Kohli, of course, didn’t disappoint Boucher one bit as he went on to make his ODI debut for India, a few months later against Sri Lanka.

However, it was only in 2009 when he scored his maiden hundred against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens and then backed it up with consistent scores, that Kohli finally managed to strengthen his place in the ODI set-up.

Virat Kohli was then handed his Test match debut immediately after the 2011 World Cup, during India’s three-match Test series against the West Indies. The Indian captain had a disastrous start as the Caribbean bowlers targeted him with the short ball.

Kohli finally got it right during the 2011-12 Australian tour when he shellacked the home side for 75 at the WACA before following it up with his maiden hundred at the Adelaide Oval. And, the rest, as they say, is history.

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