Mumbai: He may have glared at Nehal Wadhera after running him out for five during Royal Challengers Bengaluru ’s seven-wicket win over Punjab Kings at the Mullanpur Stadium on April 20, but Virat Kohli did offer a few encouraging words to the Punjab youngster a couple of days earlier.
In fact, it was a surreal moment for Wadhera when he found out that the cricketing superstar knew him by his first name. In an ice-breaking interaction that Wadhera had with Kohli, the Punjab Kings batter approached the legend to seek feedback on his game after an IPL match in Bengaluru on April 18—and was left stunned when Kohli recognized him by name.
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Recalling his “made-my-day” moment during a virtual media interaction on Thursday, Wadhera said: “I was actually really shocked. Before the match, Virat bhai was talking to Shreyas Iyer and asked me in Punjabi, ‘Ki haal chaal, Nehal?’ (How are you, Nehal?). I wasn’t expecting him to remember my name. That made me really happy.”
It had long been a dream of Wadhera’s to speak with Kohli—something he’d often mentioned during his time with Mumbai Indians. “Till last year, I used to tell Tilak (Varma) or Surya bhai (Suryakumar Yadav) that I wanted to talk to Virat bhai once. That was the real ice-breaker—realising that he actually knows me—and it gave me the confidence to speak to him.”
After the match, Wadhera approached Kohli for feedback. “As soon as the match got over, I asked, ‘Virat bhai, you’ve seen me for the past two years. Do you see any improvement in my game?’ He said, ‘Nehal, I liked your batting.’ I explained my game plan, and he said my approach was smart, especially in a low-scoring game.
He told me he saw composure and intent in my shots.” Needless to say, praise from a cricketing legend had a huge impact. “He was happy to see my preparation and execution. I was just as happy to receive such feedback from someone like him.”
Wadhera also acknowledged the mentorship of India’s 2011 World Cup hero, Yuvraj Singh . “His words were golden. He gave me tips on how to take my game to the next level. I have huge respect for him.” In seven matches this IPL, Wadhera has scored 189 runs at an average of 37.80 and a strike rate of 146.51.
His unbeaten 43 off 25 balls helped Punjab Kings chase down 172 against Lucknow Super Giants, and in a rain-affected 14-over match against RCB, his 19-ball 33* helped the team recover from 53 for four to seal a tricky 96-run chase. “I love playing in tough situations. I believe if you can win those, you’re ready for India,” he said.
In fact, it was a surreal moment for Wadhera when he found out that the cricketing superstar knew him by his first name. In an ice-breaking interaction that Wadhera had with Kohli, the Punjab Kings batter approached the legend to seek feedback on his game after an IPL match in Bengaluru on April 18—and was left stunned when Kohli recognized him by name.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
Recalling his “made-my-day” moment during a virtual media interaction on Thursday, Wadhera said: “I was actually really shocked. Before the match, Virat bhai was talking to Shreyas Iyer and asked me in Punjabi, ‘Ki haal chaal, Nehal?’ (How are you, Nehal?). I wasn’t expecting him to remember my name. That made me really happy.”
It had long been a dream of Wadhera’s to speak with Kohli—something he’d often mentioned during his time with Mumbai Indians. “Till last year, I used to tell Tilak (Varma) or Surya bhai (Suryakumar Yadav) that I wanted to talk to Virat bhai once. That was the real ice-breaker—realising that he actually knows me—and it gave me the confidence to speak to him.”
After the match, Wadhera approached Kohli for feedback. “As soon as the match got over, I asked, ‘Virat bhai, you’ve seen me for the past two years. Do you see any improvement in my game?’ He said, ‘Nehal, I liked your batting.’ I explained my game plan, and he said my approach was smart, especially in a low-scoring game.
He told me he saw composure and intent in my shots.” Needless to say, praise from a cricketing legend had a huge impact. “He was happy to see my preparation and execution. I was just as happy to receive such feedback from someone like him.”
Wadhera also acknowledged the mentorship of India’s 2011 World Cup hero, Yuvraj Singh . “His words were golden. He gave me tips on how to take my game to the next level. I have huge respect for him.” In seven matches this IPL, Wadhera has scored 189 runs at an average of 37.80 and a strike rate of 146.51.
His unbeaten 43 off 25 balls helped Punjab Kings chase down 172 against Lucknow Super Giants, and in a rain-affected 14-over match against RCB, his 19-ball 33* helped the team recover from 53 for four to seal a tricky 96-run chase. “I love playing in tough situations. I believe if you can win those, you’re ready for India,” he said.
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