Virat Kohli Reveals The Toughest Bowler He’s Ever Faced
Published - 17 Mar 2025, 05:15 PM | Updated - 17 Mar 2025, 11:36 PM

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Throughout his career, RCB veteran Virat Kohli has faced several elite bowlers in both the IPL and international cricket. The "toughest challenge" for Kohli, though, has come from one bowler.
The bowler is none other than Jasprit Bumrah, the bowling leader of India who has become an incredible cricket player in recent years. Speaking about facing Bumrah in the IPL, Virat Kohli disclosed what makes him challenging for batters to deal with.
Kohli also discussed the ferocity with which he confronts Bumrah in an IPL match and in the Team India nets. The 36-year-old also acknowledged that it's fun to play against Bumrah because he's had some success against him in the IPL.
Jasprit Bumrah the most challenging bowler I’ve faced: Virat Kohli
When asked about the hardest bowler he has ever faced, Virat Kohli was addressing at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit. The great hitter named Jasprit Bumrah, a teammate from India is the one who has caused him the most trouble.
Unafraid to mention Bumrah's name, Kohli declared him the world's greatest bowler in all formats. He described the contest as high-intensity and disclosed the times when they faced each other in the nets.
"No doubt about the fact that Jasprit (Bumrah) is the best bowler in the world across all the formats and he has got me out a few times in the IPL. I've had success against him in the IPL. So, whenever I face him, it's like okay, it's going to be fun because we don't get to do that in the nets,” Kohli said.
In the IPL, Virat Kohli has amassed 140 runs off 95 balls with an excellent strike rate of 147.36 and an average of 28 against Jasprit Bumrah. So far, Bumrah has removed Kohli five times. Bumrah's first IPL wicket was, surprisingly, Kohli.
Virat Kohli reveals how it is to face Jasprit Bumrah in nets
Kohli also discussed taking on Bumrah in the nets at the event. Bumrah bowls with the same ferocity in the nets, according to the RCB batter, who is always trying to get him out. He described meeting him as the most challenging and rewarding task.
"I mean, even in the nets, it's like playing a match. The intensity is like we play a match in the IPL. So, every ball is like I want to take him for runs and he wants to get me out and I try not to get out to him. So, you can sense it (that) he is at match intensity. Today, he is probably the marker that I keep when I play against him in the nets regularly. But I would say he is the most enjoyable and the toughest challenge," he added.
Here is the video:
"𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚, '𝙊𝙠𝙖𝙮, 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙣.'" 🗣
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 17, 2025
Ever wondered who’s the toughest bowler Virat’s ever faced? 🤔 Catch him spill the tea, at the 𝗥𝗖𝗕 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁… pic.twitter.com/36F8d8twN6
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Virat Kohli Jasprit Bumrah India National Cricket Team IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore Mumbai Indians