New Delhi : India stalwart Virat Kohli took a trip down memory lane and reminisced about his debut for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League back in 2008, during which he was in complete "awe" of meeting legends Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid.
Virat is among the limited number of players who have stayed and played for just one franchise in the cash-rich league. The batting maestro made his debut in the inaugural edition's tournament opener between Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008.
It was the same fixture when Brendon McCullum put his class on exhibition and blazed his way to a record-shattering 158(73). Virat, whose maiden appearance in the IPL concluded with Ashok Dinda cleaning him up on 1(5), had just taken steps towards becoming a modern-day legend.
Even though he struggled to thrive consistently, Virat fondly remembers meeting Indian legends and relishing the moments as if he were in a fantasy land. While Virat felt jitters, he was aware that his game wasn't up to the level, and he had to prove himself.
"The first time I played in IPL, I was in complete awe. I hadn't really met anyone before--except maybe Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh from our North Zone days--so walking into a dressing room with legends like Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid felt like fantasy land," Virat said in a candid conversation on '18 Calling 18' on JioHotstar.
"But with that excitement came pressure. I knew my game wasn't quite at that level yet, and I had to prove myself. That pressure eventually caught up with me in the first season. Still, the experience was unforgettable," he added.
After Virat's maiden season ended with just 165 runs at a mere average of 15.00, his game continued to soar to new levels with each passing season. Virat felt the constant changes in the batting order and the lack of top-order opportunities made it hard for him to settle in.
"In my first three years with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, I didn't get many opportunities to bat in the top order. I was usually sent in lower down. So, I wasn't really able to crack the IPL in a big way early on, apart from the occasional impactful knock," he said.
"But the 2009 season felt a bit better for me. The pitches that year suited my game--the ball was coming onto the bat nicely, and I could play my shots more freely. It was definitely an interesting phase in my career. From 2010 onwards, I started performing more consistently, and by 2011, I was regularly batting at number three. That's when my IPL journey really began to take shape," he added.