Virat Kohli Remembers When Ishant Sharma Sledged Virat Kohli in IPL 2008 Opener
Virat Kohli recalled being sledged by Ishant Sharma during RCB vs KKR in the first-ever IPL match in 2008. Ishant, fresh from an Australia tour, dismissed Rahul Dravid and exchanged words with Kohli, who scored just 1 (5). Kohli described feeling intense pressure playing before a packed Chinnaswamy crowd for the first time.
When the Indian Premier League kicked off in 2008, Virat Kohli played his first match for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Kolkata Knight Riders. In a nostalgic moment shared recently, Kohli recalled being sledged by close friend and pacer Ishant Sharma during that game. Ishant, fresh from a successful tour of Australia and flaunting a new hairstyle, tried to rattle Kohli with aggressive sledging. Kohli, despite his nerves, gave it back with a playful retort: “Side mein aa tereko batata hu”.
KKR had posted a massive 222/3, thanks to Brendon McCullum’s record-breaking 158*. RCB were bowled out for just 82, with Kohli dismissed for 1 off 5 balls by Ashok Dinda. Ishant, meanwhile, removed Rahul Dravid early and bowled to Kohli briefly.
Kohli described the experience as his first real taste of high-pressure cricket, playing in front of a packed M Chinnaswamy crowd. He admitted that while he had faced Ishant many times before, the crowd and atmosphere made it feel like a different challenge altogether. Kohli’s RCB currently sits third on the IPL 2025 table with 6 points, tied with Ishant’s Gujarat Titans, who edge ahead on net run rate.
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