England wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler opened up about the conversation he had with Virat Kohli during IPL 2023, where he was under pressure to deliver after a stellar season with the bat, scoring 863 runs in IPL 2022. Buttler shared this heartfelt story on the podcast with Stuart Broad.
Kohli’s Advice Came at the Right Time, Says Buttler
Jos Buttler, who started the IPL 2023 season with struggles, had a chance to converse with Virat Kohli as they both were training on the same ground. Once Virat Kohli completed his training, Jos Buttler had a conversation with him and asked a few questions on how to improve his form, and the added wise words from Kohli helped him to improve his form.
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“I had that one season in 2022, where I scored 868 runs. But he [Kohli] holds the record for the most runs in a season – 973. Which is phenomenal. So I basically found the next season difficult, in the sense 'how do I live up to that', and we were training at the same time as RCB. I've played a lot against Virat. He was so generous with his time, so helpful. He just had to say, 'Maybe you had that one season. Accept that. Don't try and replicate it. It's ok. Life is going to be fine,'" Buttler told Stuart Broad during the For the Love of Cricket podcast.
Buttler Reflects on Kohli’s Honesty About His Insecurities
Moreover, Buttler also said that Virat Kohli revealed some of the insecurities he was facing at that time. It was a sudden surprise for Buttler that Virat also revealed his vulnerabilities, and this made Buttler think that he’s human too. Buttler added he was grateful for Virat’s insight.
“And then he started talking about some of the insecurities he sometimes has about his game and stuff like that. How he practices. I mean, this is arguably the best player of our generation, especially in white-ball and ODIs. I was so thankful for his time and grateful for his insights. Just amazed by the knowledge he had of my own game, what my work. He too is human. He said, 'Sometimes I pick up the bat and feel like I don't know how to play. I feel that quite a lot.' So if he feels that too, it's ok,” added Buttler.
Virat Kohli is more than a cricketer, as his words of wisdom have helped players like Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, who have openly spoken about their moments with Kohli. We never know how many players are in line to share Kohli’s words of wisdom.
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