"He's also smashed me" - Veteran England spinner on Virat Kohli being called his 'bunny'

Veteran England spinner Adil Rashid reacted to Virat Kohli being called his 'bunny'. Rashid has had interesting battles against Kohli across formats, dismissing him several times.

The wrist-spinner had gotten the better of Virat Kohli four times in Tests, five times in ODIs, and twice in T20Is, dismissing him a total of 11 times in all. However, Rashid stated that it would not be fair to call the Indian star his 'bunny' as the star batter had also smashed him a lot of times.

"Let's not think of Bunny. It's not like every time I'll bowl to him I'll get him out. I've got him out a few times. But he's also smashed me. That is part and parcel. Sometimes when you play a lot against someone and get them out it becomes a thing. At the same time, he has scored hundreds and fifties and smashed me all over. It's not guaranteed that he's his bunny. It doesn't work like that," he said on the 'Beard Before Wicket' podcast. (42:48)

In the same episode, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada also opened up on his experience of bowling against Virat Kohli. He stated that Kohli was among the toughest batters he had bowled to.

"I feel like Kohli was incredibly hard to get out. He was extremely stingy with his wicket. He would just bat and bat. If you get him out, you know you've earned it. You've earned it in a battle. He was very hard to get out." (51:44)

Rabada also revealed having tussles with Kohli as a young fast bowler. He reflected that the battle would go back and forth every time the two would be up against each other.

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Virat Kohli's numbers against Adil Rashid and Kagiso Rabada

While Adil Rashid has gotten Virat Kohli out 11 times across formats, the star batter has also scored a fair bit against him. In Tests, Kohli has scored 289 runs against Rashid. He has hit him for 28 fours and a six at a strike-rate of 62.4 at an average of 72.2.

In ODIs, Kohli has scored 130 runs against the England spinner. He has hit seven boundaries and a six at a strike-rate of 86.2 and an average of 22.4. In T20Is, he has made 72 runs with three boundaries and two sixes.

Against Kagiso Rabada, Virat Kohli has scored 253 runs in Tests with 36 boundaries and two sixes, getting out five times. In ODIs, he had scored 138 runs with 11 fours and three maximums. Rabada has dismissed him only twice in the format.

The South African quick has a better record against Kohli in T20Is. The star batter has scored 32 runs at a strike-rate of 114.3, getting out once.