"Right up there with Kobe Bryant, Novak Djokovic" - Former India keeper compares Virat Kohli with sporting legends ahead of IPL 2025 final

Former Indian wicketkeeper and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor Dinesh Karthik hailed Virat Kohli's work ethic, comparing it to sporting legends Kobe Bryant and Novak Djokovic ahead of the IPL 2025 final. The 36-year-old has been in sensational form in the ongoing IPL, helping RCB reach the final for the first time since 2016.

Kohli has amassed 614 runs in 14 matches at an average of 55.81 and a strike rate of 146.53, including eight half-centuries. The champion batter has garnered praise for his extraordinary work ethic and fitness levels during his illustrious career.

Talking about Kohli in a special video shared by the RCB X handle, Karthik said (via Republic World):

"Virat Kohli is one of the most pristine greats of the game. And I use the word pristine purely because of his work ethics. I think he would be right up there with Kobe Bryant of the world, with Novak Djokovic."

He continued:

"And I say that purely because of the amount of time he puts in prep. I think he has worked so hard on things that are not seen on the screen, is what makes him such a pure, unfiltered, unadulterated, high-quality performer. And that's what he has been doing for RCB for quite some time now."

Kohli has been undeniably the best batter of this generation across formats, with 27,599 runs and a remarkable 82 centuries in 550 matches. Having retired from T20Is after the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 36-year-old also walked away from the Test format last month.

Virat Kohli is a step away from his elusive IPL title

Virat Kohli has been part of the IPL with RCB since the league's inception in 2008. However, he has yet to achieve ultimate glory, with the franchise falling short in the final three times in 2009, 2011, and 2016.

Having achieved ODI, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy success with India, an IPL title is the only big title left for the veteran batter in white-ball cricket. RCB are in with an excellent chance of breaking the drought, reaching the final with a crushing win over the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1.

They will take on the winner of Qualifier 2 between PBKS and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the summit clash. The grand finale will be played at Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3.