Virat Kohli (BCCI/IPL Photo) NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Kohli’s switch to playing fewer formats could affect his T20 rhythm, especially after the breaks.“It will be a little different for Kohli this time. He will be playing IPL for the first time after retiring from Test cricket completely. He is playing only one format. It is not easy for anyone,” Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Watch
Ajit Agarkar is knocking on BCCI’s door asking for a huge extension | World Cup“But he scored and his performance was brilliant. Even if he comes after the break, it was not difficult for him in one-day cricket.”Virat Kohli has joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026 but this season might be a little different for him. With Kohli now retired from Test cricket and playing only limited-overs formats, expectations are high, but experts believe the move could bring new challenges in T20 cricket.“In T20S, when you play an aggressor and you come out that you haven’t played much, it will be challenging. But he has faced many challenges even before. I am very excited about how he will continue this season,” he added.Pathan also highlighted how Kohli’s change in batting style last season played a big role in RCB’s success. Instead of anchoring the innings, Kohli took on a more attacking role, which helped the team win the title.“Virat Kohli and RCB is an identity that comes together. He started with RCB and is still playing for them. He has performed brilliantly. It was also a golden period in his career when he captained the team; there were many brilliant performances,” he noted.“When they won last season, his success rate also went up. He didn’t play the role of facilitator, he took the role of aggressor. That was a very big factor. They will expect him to maintain the same form this time as well.”
