In a rare candid moment, Virat Kohli was left in
splits after watching an old interview from IPL 2011, where his
22-year-old self confidently claimed he "took charge" from Chris
Gayle during a match-winning knock for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The
video, now going viral, was shown to Kohli during a segment on '18 Calling
18' on JioHotstar.
The Flashback That Sparked Laughter
The footage was from RCB’s 2011 clash against Delhi
Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), where Kohli smashed a quickfire 56 off
38 balls and earned his first-ever IPL Player of the Match award. At
the post-match ceremony, the young Kohli confidently said:
“When I started to hit the ball well, I took charge from
Chris [Gayle]. That was the plan in the middle so that he could play himself
in, and I could go for my shots.”
Fourteen years later, watching that clip, a now 36-year-old
Kohli couldn’t contain his laughter and gave himself a playful roast.
Kohli’s Reaction: 'Ghalat fehmi dekh lo'
Reacting to the video, Kohli said:
“I don't even know what I said. You guys brought it here
from somewhere.”
As soon as the part mentioning Gayle played, Kohli chuckled
and quipped:
“Chris could play himself in? Waah! Ghalat fehmi dekh lo
(Look at the misunderstanding)!”
He added, commenting on how player quotes are now more
scrutinized:
“Since the social media boom, fans have started analysing
players' quotes, which has become way too twisted.”
Kohli in IPL 2025
Currently, Virat Kohli continues to be one of RCB’s top
performers in the IPL 2025 season. So far, he has scored:
- 164
runs in 4 innings
- 2
half-centuries
- Strike
Rate: 143.86
His candid moment from '18 Calling 18' reminds fans
not only of how far he’s come as a player but also of the lighter side of his
personality — one who isn’t afraid to laugh at his younger self.