‘Abhi India Ke Liye Thodi Khelna Hai… Ab Har Shot Lagega’, Virat Kohli’s Witty Remark on His New Batting Approach Goes Viral (Watch Video)
In a viral video captured during RCB vs KKR IPL 2026 at Raipur, Kohli could be heard on the stump mic, saying that his retirement from T20 internationals has granted him the freedom to 'hit every shot' without the traditional weight of national expectations.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend Virat Kohli has set social media alight following a witty remark regarding his fearless new batting approach in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In a viral video captured during RCB vs KKR IPL 2026 at Raipur, Kohli could be heard on the stump mic, saying that his retirement from T20 internationals has granted him the freedom to 'hit every shot' without the traditional weight of national expectations. The comment comes as Kohli continues a vintage run of form, having recently smashed an unbeaten century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to propel RCB to the top of the league table. Virat Kohli Hits 9th IPL Hundred, Achieves Feat During RCB vs KKR Match .
Virat Kohli On His New Batting Approach
🚨VIRAT KOHLI IN STUMP MIC TO PADDIKAL 🚨
🎙️ - "Ab to India ke liye thodi na khelna h, ab to har shot lagega"😂 pic.twitter.com/6UH7Ey5bD2
— Sam (@Cricsam01) May 14, 2026
Virat Kohli's Stump Mic Talk Goes Viral
Funny conversation of Virat Kohli on the stump mic during the RCB vs KKR match 😂🔥
Virat Kohli : “Oyeeee... Idhar dekh”
Manish Pandey : “Haaa..”
Virat Kohli : “Ab to marunga mai.”
Manish Pandey : “Achcha 😄”
Virat Kohli : “Ab India ke liye thodi na khelna hai, ab to har shot… pic.twitter.com/7qybUyNFsi
— Jara (@JARA_Memer) May 14, 2026
The video, which has been widely shared across X (formerly Twitter), shows Kohli reportedly conversing with KKR's Manish Pandey about his intent to play unconventional shots this season. Kohli quipped, "Abhi India ke liye thodi khelna hai... ab har shot lagega" (I don’t have to play for India now... now every shot will hit).
The remark reflects Kohli’s liberated mindset following his transition away from the T20 International and Test arenas over the past two years. The absence of the 'anchor' role often required of him in the national side has allowed him to embrace a more expansive T20 game, prioritising strike rate and early aggression.
The viral moment coincided with one of Kohli’s most dominant performances in recent years. After enduring a rare blip with back-to-back ducks, the veteran opener responded with a masterclass in Raipur on Wednesday night. Virat Kohli Becomes First Indian Batter To 14,000 T20 Runs, Achieves Feat During RCB vs KKR IPL 2026.
His unbeaten 105 off 60 deliveries guided RCB to a successful chase of 193. The innings was not just a match-winning effort but a record-breaking one; Kohli became the fastest player in cricket history to reach 14,000 T20 runs, surpassing the milestone in just 409 innings.
Since retiring from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup triumph and stepping away from Test cricket in May 2025, he has focused his T20 efforts solely on the IPL. While he remains an integral part of India's ODI setup, his T20 game has evolved into a more 'unfiltered' version of his younger self.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 14, 2026 03:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
