England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum reserved high praise for Team India star Virat Kohli ahead of the upcoming ODI series opener. He spoke about his experience of sharing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) dressing room with the ace batter in the past.
McCullum highlighted how Kohli has inspired generations and become a globally recognized figure during his illustrious career. The 44-year-old, however, joked that he would still want the former India captain to fail with the bat in the ODI series against England.
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.
“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!”
Virat Kohli is set to return to action after being on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the IPL 2026 final. He was instrumental in RCB successfully defending their title, finishing with a tally of 675 runs across 16 innings at a strike rate of 165.85.
“They remain a very integral part of our team” – Shubman Gill’s massive statement on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s ODI future
Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill confirmed that senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to be an integral part of the side on the road to the 2027 World Cup. The two former captains are at the fag end of their respective careers and remain active in just one format in international cricket, ODIs.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the England series, Gill remarked (via RevSportz):
“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.”
The ODI series between India and England kicks off at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday, July 14.
Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai