"Sher ki tarah kheloonga" - RCB youngster reveals Virat Kohli's stunning statement on his playing future during IPL 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) uncapped player Swastik Chikara has made a big revelation, saying Virat Kohli told him that he will continue to play in IPL only if he is fit enough to field 20 overs. The 20-year-old claimed that Kohli added that he would choose to hang up his boots but never play as an impact player. Notably, the Delhi-born batter is one of the fittest athletes in the world. He remains a gun-fielder despite turning 36 in November last year.

Speaking amid the ongoing 2025 UPT20 League, Swastik Chikara told Revsportz YouTube channel:

“Virat bhaiya (Virat Kohli) told me that he will play cricket until I am fully fit. I won’t play as an impact player. I will play like a tiger and field for 20 overs. I won’t be like doing only batting and sitting out. In such a scenario, I will keep the bag at home. He was doing gym and told me that, ‘I will play till I am fully fit and can field for 20 overs with full effort.’ ‘Mai impact me nahi kheloonga sher ki tarah kheloonga (I won’t play as an impact player but only as a tiger).’”

Chikara further revealed his first interaction with Kohli, where the latter broke the ice and made him comfortable. He continued:

“We were simply standing and eating. I was looking at him for some time, and he replied, ‘Kya hogya? Khaega kya muyjhe? (What happened? Will you eat me? I said nothing as such. He then told me, ‘Kuch bol le, baat to kar (At least speak something)’. This was my first conversation with him. Before this, I had clicked a selfie with him when I was with the Delhi Capitals.”

Virat Kohli is the leading run-getter in IPL, amassing 8661 runs in 167 matches, hitting eight tons and 63 half-centuries. He finished as RCB’s highest run-getter as they lifted their maiden IPL trophy last season. The right-hander scored 657 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 144.71, comprising eight fifties.

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“Do things that are in your hands” – Swastik Chikara on Virat Kohli’s advice during IPL 2025

Swastik Chikara further shared words of wisdom from Virat Kohli as he warmed the bench during IPL 2025. He said in the same video:

“Last year, when I was in IPL, I didn’t get any game. Even this time around, I didn’t get the chance to play any game. I used to ask Virat bhaiya what I should do so that I could play. Think only about cricket; there is only practice in your hands. Do your work and don’t think about whether you’ll play or not. Do things that are in your hands. When the time comes, you’ll get to play.”

RCB had signed Swastik Chikara for a base price of INR 30 lakh last year. The UP batter gained a lot of popularity for his off-the-field playful interactions with Virat Kohli, which went viral on social media. His Instagram followers soared from around 1 lakh to 1 million (10 lakh).