Virat Kohli on Facing Jasprit Bumrah: ‘Every Ball Feels Like a Mind Game’

Add as a preferred source on Google

Virat Kohli has named his Indian teammate Jasprit Bumrah as the toughest bowler he has ever faced in his illustrious career. The premier fast bowler, known for his unorthodox action and lethal accuracy, has troubled batters across formats, and Kohli is no exception.

The former India captain emphasized that every ball from Bumrah feels like a mind game.

Kohli first encountered Bumrah at the top level during the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Interestingly, the Mumbai Indians pacer's maiden IPL wicket was none other than Virat Kohli himself when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced Mumbai Indians that year. Over the years, Bumrah has continued to be a formidable opponent, especially in the IPL.

Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit event, Kohli lauded Bumrah's skills and dominance across formats. "No doubt about the fact that Jasprit (Bumrah) is the best bowler in the world, all the formats. He's gotten me out a few times in the IPL," Kohli admitted.

While Kohli and Bumrah don't frequently face off in the Indian team's net sessions, their duels in the IPL are a spectacle for fans. The intensity of their encounters mirrors an actual match situation. "So whenever I say things, like, okay, it's going to be fun," Kohli said, referring to their competitive battles.

"Because we don't get to do that in the nets. Even in the nets, it's like playing a match. The intensity is like we play a match in the IPL. We're always like, every ball is like a mind game," Kohli added.

In the IPL, Kohli has faced Bumrah 16 times, scoring 140 runs at a strike rate of 147.36, but the Mumbai Indians speedster has dismissed him on five occasions. This back-and-forth rivalry adds an extra edge to their matchups whenever RCB and MI clash.

Bumrah missed the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a back injury and is expected to return to action for Mumbai Indians by early April, subject to clearance from the BCCI's medical team at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

He sustained a stress-related back injury during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney and was initially advised five weeks of rest before being ruled out of the Champions Trophy. Previously, Bumrah underwent back surgery in March 2023 and made a strong comeback, proving his resilience yet again.