"It seems not to have worked out" - AB de Villiers makes stunning revelation on Virat Kohli ahead of RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 final
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter AB de Villiers revealed he once advised Virat Kohli against getting so emotional and playing more relaxed, only for it to never come to fruition. De Villiers' remarks came two days before the IPL 2025 final, where RCB will take on the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3.
Kohli has been among the most animated cricketers, expressing his raw emotions for everyone to see. The 36-year-old is still seeking his maiden IPL title despite being with RCB since 2008.
Talking about Kohli's pumped-up nature ahead of the IPL 2025 final, De Villiers said (via India Today):
"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. 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."
He continued:
"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 more calm and composed player out there and I did speak to him about it, and I guess I was wrong."
Kohli and De Villiers played together for RCB from 2011 to 2021 before the latter's retirement. The franchise's last final appearance before the ongoing edition was in 2016 when the legendary duo led the way with the bat.
However, they lost to the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the summit clash on that occasion.
Virat Kohli is enjoying another outstanding IPL season in the ongoing edition.
Virat Kohli and excellent IPL seasons with the bat have become par for the course, with the ongoing edition no different. The veteran right-hander has amassed 614 runs in 14 games at an average of 55.81 and a strike rate of 146.53, including eight half-centuries.
His impact has been evident, with RCB winning all eight matches where he has scored over 50. It is also the third straight season where the champion batter has scored over 600 runs and the fifth time overall in his IPL career.
Kohli has been part of all three RCB final defeats in 2009, 2011, and 2016 and will be keen on winning the elusive IPL title in the upcoming 2025 final. He recently played a massive role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy triumphs.