Virat Kohli is a megastar: Jacob Duffy was impressed by the Indian great’s humility at RCB

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy got a close look at Virat Kohli during their time together at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and was impressed by the humility and work ethic of the Indian batting great.

Kohli can be a superstar in India, where his popularity borders on respectability, but Duffy finds him remarkably down-to-earth. The New Zealand fast bowler said the former India captain made a conscious effort to make overseas players feel welcome during RCB’s title-winning IPL campaign earlier this year.

“I got to see him yesterday. He was in the gym obviously, so it was cool to run into him there, but he was amazing for me,” Duffy said, according to Cricinfo.

“For such a religious person, you almost say, in India – he’s obviously a megastar there – for him to be so down-to-earth and welcome all of us from overseas to RCB was pretty cool, so I respect him a lot for that.

“It will be amazing to play against him now that I have shared the dressing room with him as well,” he added.

India and New Zealand begin their five-match ODI series in Auckland on November 4, giving Duffy an opportunity to face Kohli again, this time as opponents.

The two have already spent plenty of time against each other, albeit in the nets at RCB. Duffy said his regular practice sessions gave him a good understanding of Kohli’s game, while the Indian batsman also had the opportunity to assess the New Zealand pacer’s bowling.

“He’s got a great work ethic. I’ve pitched to him a lot in the nets because he’s always been the first hitter and I’ve always been the first pitcher. We’ve actually spent a lot of time against each other in the nets, so that’s pretty cool. But he’s also seen me a lot from there now, so he’ll have a good preparation.”

DUFFY EYES STRONG ODI LINE

Duffy heads into the ODI series with some confidence after an impressive comeback in the fourth T20I against India. After conceding plenty of runs in the second and third matches, the pacer responded with four wickets as New Zealand registered an 87-run victory.

The focus will now shift to the 50-over format, which Duffy believes presents a different challenge for fast bowlers. He particularly enjoys the changing demands of bowling in two innings, from exploiting movement with the new ball to dealing with the demands of the final overs.

“Personally, I’m quite fond of ODI cricket. What I like about it is that you get a bit of hard length at the top with a swinging ball and stuff. Then you get a bit of a strike and a giggle at the end.”

WC 2027 ON THE NZ RADAR

With the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa just a year away, the upcoming series will also be an important part of New Zealand’s preparations.

Acknowledging the importance of the tournament, Duffy recalled how watching the 2015 and 2019 editions shaped his ambitions as a young cricketer. The fast bowler said the coming months will be crucial as the players look to push for a place in the World Cup squad.

“We also have the World Cup this time next year in South Africa. I think that’s pretty high on the priority list.”

“Growing up (watching) the 2015 World Cup and the 2019 World Cup, those are the highlights of our game for me. Those are the main events I grew up watching, aspiring to and wanting to be there.

“After a year away, these games play a pretty important role. I think we’re trying to build and make a case to make this team,” he added.

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