AB de Villiers reveals which advice of his Virat Kohli has ignored in the IPL

Virat Kohli will be seen in action in IPL 2025 final for RCB against PBKS June 3.

According to AB de Villiers, he once advised Virat Kohli to control his emotions for an Indian Premier League (IPL) season, but the RCB player chose not to heed his advice. Kohli is renowned for his intensity on the field and for not keeping his actual feelings to himself.  

De Villiers talked about the moment he encouraged Kohli to calm down a little before the IPL 2025 final. Kohli should play a season without showing too much emotion, the former RCB player advised. According to De Villiers, Kohli acknowledged that it was a smart concept but chose not to heed the counsel.

“We have had this conversation many times before. Why don’t you try for a season and just get the emotion out of it, just to sort of relax a bit, ok? And I’ve told him before, and he said, it’s not a bad idea, but it seems not to have worked out,” said De Villiers as per India Today.

Kohli has been seen emoting a lot in the ongoing IPL 2025 as he was seen gesturing wildly towards Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer during a match. He was also seen mouthing something to PBKS debutant Musheer Khan during Qualifier 1, as the youngster was taking strike.

One of Virat Kohli’s strengths is to be emotional on the field: AB de Villiers

Virat Kohli has always carried his heart on his sleeve during his cricketing career. Be it ODIs, tests, or T20Is, and even in the IPL, Kohli is seen energetic during a match and keeps his teammates on their toes as well. His vivacious energy gives his teammates that extra edge as well in tight situations.

De Villiers believes that one of Kohli’s greatest assets is his innate ability to be emotional and aggressive. According to the former captain of South Africa, Kohli’s success can be attributed to his tendency to show his emotions.

“He doesn’t listen to me. So the thing is, I think it’s a natural thing for him. He can’t help but show that he cares, and that’s where it comes from. So, at the end of the day, it is one of his strengths. He’s come to where he is in his career and in his life because of the person that he is, the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve. I think I would like to see him as a calmer and more composed player out there, and I did speak to him about it, and I guess I was wrong,” said De Villiers.

Virat Kohli will be in action for RCB in the IPL 2025 final on June 3 against PBKS in Ahmedabad.

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