Virat Kohli will be in action for RCB in the IPL 2025 final against PBKS on June 3. According to AB de Villiers, he once advised Virat Kohli to rein in his emotions for an IPL season, but Kohli chose not to follow that suggestion. Kohli is well-known for his passionate and intense demeanor on the field, often wearing his heart on his sleeve.
De Villiers recalled the moment he encouraged Kohli to tone it down ahead of the IPL 2025 final. He suggested Kohli try playing a season without expressing too much emotion. While Kohli admitted it was a good idea, he ultimately didn’t take the advice.
“We’ve had this conversation many times. I said, ‘Why don’t you try one season without the emotion, just relax a bit, okay?’ He said it wasn’t a bad idea, but clearly, it hasn’t worked out,” De Villiers said, as quoted by India Today.
Virat Kohli has shown a lot of emotion throughout the ongoing IPL 2025 season. He was seen making animated gestures toward PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer during a match and was also caught saying something to PBKS debutant Musheer Khan during Qualifier 1 as the youngster prepared to face his delivery.
AB de Villiers: One of Virat Kohli’s Strengths Is Being Emotional on the Field
Virat Kohli has always been known for wearing his heart on his sleeve throughout his cricketing journey. Whether it’s in ODIs, Tests, T20Is, or the IPL, Kohli brings high energy to the field, often inspiring his teammates and keeping the intensity alive during matches. His passionate presence often gives his team an added boost in pressure situations.
Former South African captain AB de Villiers believes that one of Kohli’s biggest strengths is his natural emotional intensity and aggression. According to de Villiers, this passionate nature has played a key role in Kohli’s success.
“Virat Kohli doesn’t listen to me,” de Villiers joked. “I think it’s just natural for him. He can’t help but show that he cares deeply, and that’s where it all comes from. At the end of the day, it’s one of his greatest strengths. He has reached where he is today in both his career and life because of the person he is—someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. I used to think he should be calmer and more composed on the field, and I even told him that. But I guess I was wrong.”
Virat Kohli is set to take the field for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings on June 3 in Ahmedabad.
