IPL 2021: Dan Christian reveals how Virat Kohli almost tricked Kyle Jamieson into revealing his plans for WTC final
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Dan Christian has shared a hysterical anecdote involving the team's skipper Virat Kohli and pacer Kyle Jamieson.
Christian revealed that Kyle Jamieson is carrying some Dukes balls with him to prepare for the impending World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand. When Virat Kohli found out about this, he invited Jamieson to practice against him in the RCB nets, in a cheeky attempt to get a peek into the pacer's preparations.
However, as Dan Christian narrated, Kyle Jamieson saw right through the trick and outright denied the proposal.
"Pretty cagey from Virat actually, right in the first week we were here. The three of us were sitting down after the nets and these two were talking about Test cricket. Virat said: 'So Jamie (Kyle Jamieson) have you bowled much with the Dukes ball?' and they are talking about that stuff. Jamie says: 'Yeah, I have a couple of them here, I will have a bowl leading in before I go over there' and Virat says 'Oh, if you want to have a bowl against me in the nets, I am more than happy to fashion'. Jamie was like, 'No chance I am going to ball at you!' He would have looked at his release point and everything that he does with the Dukes ball! (chuckles)," Dan Chrisitan said on The Grade Cricketer's YouTube channel.
Virat Kohli's attempt to understand Kyle Jamieson's plans is perhaps rooted in his experience during India's 2-Test tour of New Zealand in early 2020.
It was Kyle Jamieson's debut series and the lanky pacer troubled most of the Indian batsmen with his extra bounce, picking 9 snares at a stunning average of 16.33. Virat Kohli was one of those victims as the right-hander was caught poking a delivery wide off the stumps in the first Test.
"You don't see Virat Kohli a lot off the field" - Dan Christian
Dan Christian also revealed that Virat Kohli attends only half of the team's off-field meet-ups. He added that other RCB superstars, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, are less reserved and more involved with other members of the squad. Christian particularly lavished praise on de Villiers, calling him the happiest and most humble figure in the setup.
"You don't see Virat a lot off the field, you see a little bit. He will maybe come to half of the things but he has his family here too from the start so we might see more of him now. So AB (de Villiers) is the happiest, most humble... never got a bad word to say about anybody, will be there from start to finish. Maxi (Glenn Maxwell) is there from start to finish as well," said Dan Christian.
The RCB regained their top ranking by defeating the Delhi Capitals by 1 run on Tuesday. They will now lock horns with the Punjab Kings on April 30.