'I Was Honestly Quite Surprised...' – Nehal Wadhera left amused by Virat Kohli’s unexpected gesture
Nehal Wadhera talked about his chat with Virat Kohli and said he was really surprised that the RCB star already knew who he was. The two met during the RCB vs PBKS match earlier this season.
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Nehal Wadhera has been one of the bright spots for Punjab Kings this season, and during a special moment earlier in the tournament, he got to meet one of his cricketing idols Virat Kohli. The young PBKS batter recalled the memorable interaction he had with the RCB star during their clash at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Wadhera said he was left stunned when Kohli, even before the match started, greeted him warmly and in Punjabi. “I was actually really shocked when before the match, Virat bhai was standing and talking to Shreyas Iyer, and suddenly said, ‘Ki haal chaal, Nehal?’ (How are you doing, Nehal?),” Wadhera recalled with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting him to remember my name. That made me really happy.”
Nehal Wadhera Shares Heartwarming Chat with Virat Kohli: “I Was Really Shocked”
Wadhera also mentioned that he had always dreamt of speaking to Kohli and would often tell his teammates like Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav about it. “Till last year, I used to tell either Tilak or Surya bhai that I really wanted to talk to Virat bhai once,” he said.
Nehal Wadhera said - "Virat Kohli bhaiya told me he liked the way I batted, especially the composure & praised by batting. I discussed my preparations with Virat bhaiya who further shared his experiences with me. His compliment made me feel really happy & very special". pic.twitter.com/8vUmWygfLK
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) April 24, 2025
That dream came true this season. After the match, Wadhera walked up to Kohli and asked him for advice on how he could improve his game. “As soon as the match finished, I went up to him and asked, ‘Virat bhai, you’ve seen me for the last two years and this year what do you think?’”
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Wadhera said the conversation was a real confidence-booster. “It was really good talking to him and I enjoyed it a lot. His words reinforced my belief and helped me understand how to approach the game better,” the 24-year-old said. It's moments like these that show just how much a few kind words from a senior player can mean to a young cricketer trying to make his mark.
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