Virat Kohli reveals he had demanded a promotion in the RCB batting order

Virat Kohli, while speaking at the Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of Royal Challengers’ opening IPL game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, revealed some details about his earliest days at the franchise. With the dissolution of Chennai Super Kings, Kohli is one of the few remaining players who have always played for a single IPL franchise.

He said that he was given an opportunity to play in the prestigious league by previous owner Vijay Mallya, and was thankful to the now-tainted liquor baron. He talked about his connection with the team, the city of Bengaluru, and how RCB has provided him with a home.

He also revealed that his promotion in the batting order – something that happened after the first two editions – was something that he had himself engineered. Kohli, who had been drafted into the side as a U-19 cricketer, was not very happy with the batting position assigned to him in the earliest days.

Kohli said, "I addressed that (with the team management) and they understood that I want to bat up the order because I can contribute more to the team. Because I wasn't doing justice to the position I was playing in, I told them 'you can leave me out because I don't think I am able to do much at the spot you are making me play. Someone else may be able to do the job better'."

Already consisting of a batting order packed with talent – Rahul Dravid, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ross Taylor, Jacques Kallis and Kevin Pietersen – there was no way to accommodate the youngster into the top order at the beginning. He was slotted in at No.5 or No.6.

How the shift in batting order changed Kohli’s fortunes

Kohli enjoyed an indifferent IPL 2008, scoring a total of 165 runs in 12 innings at an average of 15. In 2009, he could only manage to have marginally better figures, scoring 246 runs at 22.36, as RCB went into the final.

It was in the 2010 season that Kohli was seen promoted ahead of the likes of Dravid and Eoin Morgan, but No.4 was still his designated position. In that season, he wad the third highest scorer in the side with 307 runs at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 145. He had been given a chance above the more reputed batsmen in the side, and he lived up to expectations.

From 2011 onwards, he made the opener’s slot his own, as the first batch of RCB players finished their tenure. Kohli was the only player to have been retained by RCB for the 2011 IPL.

Kohli has only gone from strength to strength since his demand was met, and in IPL 2015 he was Chris Gayle’s regular opening partner. By virtue of him being captain, he has much more of a say in what position he bats in.

When RCB start their IPL campaign on Tuesday, it can be seen if Kohli continues in the opener’s role, or if he shifts down to No.3 and puts Shane Watson alongside Gayle.