Virat Kohli ‘has changed a lot since retiring from Test cricket’

Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains one of the best players in the IPL, scoring an unbeaten 69 to help RCB reach a comfortable 202-run score. He is looking in top form after a long break from T20 cricket and has played a key role in the team’s strong start to the 2026 season.Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn praised Kohli’s growth as a batsman, especially his improvement in his six-hitting ability in recent seasons. “A lot of players, when they get to the level that Virat Kohli is at now, will look to change their game by a few percentage points. That’s what Virat does every IPL season. He looks for ways to improve himself and the new step in his game is his six-wicket ability, which has improved in the last two seasons,” Steyn said on JioStar.

Steyn also explained how Kohli’s mentality has changed over time and added, “In the past, Virat had a fixed mentality towards a particular batting. But now, after retiring from Test cricket, his mentality has changed a lot. Virat is so good and supports himself so much that he is able to hit the aerial knock time after time. That just shows the level of the man.”Statistics also show that Kohli has become more aggressive in the powerplay over the years. His intent steadily increased, making him even more dangerous at his peak.Devdutt Padikkal highlighted how Kohli’s presence helped him play freely during the chase. “When I came out to bat, Virat Bhai’s only instructions were to keep the run pace and put pressure on the bowlers. My job was to take risks while he controlled the chase. His presence took the pressure off me and allowed me to play freely,” Padikkal said after the match.“The growth and improvement in my game can be attributed to our head coach Andy Flower and batting coach Dinesh Karthik. They worked really hard on me.”