Overview

• Chikara quotes Kohli as saying he would "play like a lion," field the full 20 overs, and then bat rather than accept an Impact Player role.
• He adds that Kohli told him he would quit the game if asked to play only as a batting substitute.
• The revelation is Chikara’s recollection from an interview, with no new direct comment from Kohli in these reports.
• Kohli amassed 657 runs in 15 matches as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first IPL title in 2025.
• Kohli had earlier criticized the Impact Player rule, introduced in 2024, for disturbing the balance between bat and ball.