England’s white-ball coach Brendon McCullum praised Team India star Virat Kohli ahead of the upcoming ODI series opener. He opened up about his experience of sharing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) dressing room with the veteran batter in the past. McCullum also highlighted how Kohli has inspired generations and become a globally recognized figure during his cricketing career.

He said in a video posted by England Cricket on X: “I had the privilege of playing with him (Virat Kohli) for a year at RCB and got to share a dressing room with him and got to know him, and I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed his company. He’s a highly competitive person, and I think he leaves nothing out on the field when he plays. He plays with a full heart, and he’s an immense cricketer, and he’s inspired a population of people to love cricket.”

READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

He further added, “He’s one of those guys who probably transcends the sport, and he’s become a real rockstar. He’s known not just in cricket or just in India, but he’s known around the world and across various other sports. He’s one of those guys that when his time is up, his legacy will live on long after he’s played the game. But I’d still like to see him get no runs in this series!”

Meanwhile, Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill confirmed that senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to be an integral part of the team on the road to the 2027 World Cup as well.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the England series, Gill said, “Virat bhai (Kohli) and Rohit bhai (Sharma) have been the backbone of the Indian batting line-up for the past decade. They remain a very integral part of our team. The experience and skill they bring are obviously very valuable.”