How former SA wicketkeeper made impact on Kohli's career

'He had a massive impact on me in those early years. I was very realistic about my abilities'

IMAGE: Virat Kohlli and Mark Boucher played together for RCB from 2008 to 2010. Photograph: Kind courtesy Aditya Saha/X

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)'s star batter Virat Kohli revealed how ex-South African wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher took him under his wings during his early days with the franchise.

Virat was speaking on the RCB Podcast's latest episode, released on their social media handles.

Speaking about Boucher, Virat said that he came with a mindset that he is going to help Indian players and saw a bit of potential in him.

"So he figured out what my weaknesses could be. If I wanted to go to the next level, this is what I need to do without me asking him anything. And he said, okay, I have seen you play this, that, and the other. We need to work on this, that and a couple more things. I was like, okay. So he took me to the nets," he said.

"He said, you need to work on the short ball. No one is going to give you a chance in international cricket if you cannot pull the ball. And I remember it was in a game we were playing in Chennai or Kolkata, one of the venues, where he told me that when I come to commentate in India four years from now, if I do not see you playing for India, you would do a disservice to yourself," he added.

"He had a massive impact on me in those early years. I was very realistic about my abilities. Because I had seen a lot of other people play. And I did not feel like my game was anywhere close to theirs. The only thing that I had was the determination and the willingness that if I wanted to make my team win, I was willing to do anything," he said.

SEE: Virat Kohli discusses everything from former teammates and love of RCB fans. Kind courtesy: RCB/X

Boucher played for RCB from 2008-10, when Virat was slowly finding his feet in international cricket and had not played Test cricket for India. In 27 matches, Boucher made 388 runs at an average of 29.85, with a half-century.

Virat said that it was his determination to win the games for India and his fighting spirit that earned him a place in the Indian team and the backing of then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten.

"Gary and MS made it very clear to me that we are backing you to play at number 3, and this is what you can do for the team and what you represent on the field, your energy, your engagement, that is of biggest value for us. So I was asked to play that way. I was not seen as an outright match-winner. But I had this thing of I am going to stay in the fight. I am not going to give up. And that is what they backed. So that very thing that God blessed me with, that helped me to improve my game, my technique, everything," he said.

Virat admitted that while he was never the most "technically sound" or "naturally gifted", his desire to "be the best" and keeness to learn helped him get better.