It’s been 17 years since the Indian Premier League kicked off with Brendon McCullum’s unforgettable 158, but for Virat Kohli, the memories of that opening night in 2008 are etched deeper for a very different reason. Speaking recently on JioHotstar’s show ‘18 Calling 18’, Kohli recounted a rather humorous and personal moment from that debut IPL match — a cheeky sledging exchange with none other than his longtime friend and teammate, Ishant Sharma.
“Ishant had just returned from the Australia tour, had this new hair color going, and was riding high on that stardom,” Kohli recalled with a smile. “He was sledging me, like, really getting into it. And I told him, ‘Side mein aa, tereko batata hoon’ — come to the side, I’ll sort you out later,” he laughed. “But it was all in good spirit, fun and games. We were kids, really.”
That night, RCB hosted Kolkata Knight Riders at a buzzing M Chinnaswamy Stadium. While McCullum’s fireworks led KKR to a mammoth 222/3, RCB folded for a paltry 82. Ishant picked up Rahul Dravid early, while Kohli, batting at No. 3, managed just one run before falling to Ashok Dinda.
ALSO READ: Stephen Fleming Calls Out CSK’s Dropped Catches as Key Reason Behind Frustrating Campaign
Kohli admitted the occasion overwhelmed him. “I’d never played in front of such a massive crowd before,” he said. “When I was marking my guard, I remember looking around and thinking — wow, this is something else.”
But the most intriguing part of that game, according to Kohli, wasn’t the result or the crowd. It was how different Ishant Sharma felt as an opponent. “I’d played him so much in age-group cricket, but suddenly it felt like I was facing a different bowler. That’s when I realized how powerful the atmosphere can be,” he explained. “If I’d faced him in the nets, I wouldn’t have felt the same pressure. But that night, I genuinely felt like I couldn’t get a shot away against him.”
ALSO READ: Robin Uthappa Defends MS Dhoni Amid Criticism Over CSK’s Struggles
Fast forward to IPL 2025, and both veterans continue to make their presence felt. Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in strong form with three wins in four matches and sit third on the table. Ishant, now donning the Gujarat Titans jersey, is part of a team with equal points but ahead of RCB on net run rate — a rivalry still alive, just in a different shape.
