Virat Kohli Reflects on Early Career Mentorship from Mark Boucher

Kohli's Journey from Rookie to Star

Virat Kohli has established himself as one of the leading cricketers of his time, but like all great athletes, he had to navigate a learning phase early in his career. In 2008, after celebrating a U19 World Cup victory, a young Kohli entered the IPL, joining the Royal Challengers Bangalore, a team filled with cricket legends.

During this initial phase, Kohli had the chance to interact with cricket icons such as Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, along with various international players. This experience was pivotal in his rapid development as a cricketer.

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In a conversation with RCB, Kohli shared how a casual golf outing with international teammates fostered early friendships, particularly highlighting the influence of one teammate who played a crucial role during his formative years.

"Among all the players I initially played with, Mark Boucher had the most significant impact on me as a young player. He was the only one who approached it with the mindset of helping Indian players. He recognized my potential and identified my weaknesses without me needing to ask," he stated.

Kohli also mentioned how Boucher voluntarily took him to the practice nets to work on his skills.

"He guided me in the nets, emphasizing the need to improve my short ball technique. He told me that if I couldn't handle short balls, I wouldn't get a chance in the Indian team. He threw tennis balls at me, and I thought, if this is what it takes, I might not make it. But he persisted, and I began to improve," he recounted.

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘌. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦… pic.twitter.com/n0DErxgonp

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 6, 2025

Kohli on Boucher's Lasting Influence

Kohli emphasized that Boucher's mentorship was not only about technical advice but also about fostering a supportive relationship. While many senior players were focused on their own game, Boucher took the time to mentor a young Indian player, a gesture that left a lasting impression on Kohli.

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He recalled a particularly motivating remark from Boucher that shaped his perspective on his own abilities.

"He told me that when he comes to India for commentary in a few years, if he doesn't see me playing for India, I would be doing a disservice to myself. That statement resonated with me and pushed me in the right direction. He had a profound impact on my career," he added.

Currently, RCB is leading the IPL 2025 points table and is set to compete against Lucknow Super Giants on May 9.