Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) legend Virat Kohli has explained why he continues to guide young cricketers, even when that advice ends up working against him on the field. Speaking after RCB’s defeat to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2026, Kohli reflected on his interaction with emerging pacer Prince Yadav, whose brilliant delivery dismissed him for a two-ball duck in Lucknow.
The experienced batter made it clear that helping younger players improve is more important than personal outcomes, as it ultimately strengthens Indian cricket in the long run.
Prince Yadav’s breakthrough moment against Virat Kohli
During the IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on May 7, Prince produced one of the standout moments of his young career. The LSG pacer bowled a sharp delivery from a good length that jagged back into Kohli and disturbed his stumps, leaving the RCB star with no answer.
The wicket proved crucial as Lucknow Super Giants went on to register a narrow nine-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a high-pressure contest. Interestingly, after the match, Prince revealed that he had recently received bowling advice from Kohli himself. According to the youngster, Kohli had encouraged him to consistently attack the good-length area outside off stump whenever the ball was moving. That advice paid off instantly, with Prince using exactly that method to dismiss one of the greatest batters in modern cricket.
“After the last match I was talking to Virat bhaiya and he only told me – as long as it’s moving around off a length, stick to that length,” Prince had said.
Kohli explains why he has no regrets
Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Kohli said he sees mentoring young players as part of his responsibility as a senior cricketer. He stressed that no player remains in the game forever, and experienced stars must pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Kohli admitted that many fans questioned why he would help a bowler who later got him out, but he brushed aside such reactions and described it as a natural part of the sport.
“You’re not going to be here forever. And if people have the opportunity to learn and get better in their careers, eventually who gets help? If all these guys play well, eventually they play for India. The standard of cricket remains high,” said Kohli during RCB Podcast.
The former India captain praised Prince for executing a quality delivery and said he was genuinely happy to see the youngster benefit from the guidance. Kohli also pointed out that when promising cricketers improve and eventually represent India, the overall standard of the national team rises as well. For him, that bigger picture matters far more than individual rivalries in franchise cricket.
“He bowled a great ball to me. And I told him to bowl in those areas. It’s fine. You know, because people are so connected to me, they feel like, ‘He gave advice, but he couldn’t even save himself from getting out’,” explained the former RCB skipper.
Bond formed during Vijay Hazare Trophy
Kohli further revealed that he first got to know Prince during the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite 2025-26 season. Initially, he found the pacer intense on the field, but later discovered that Prince was cheerful and humorous off it. The presence of Ishant Sharma also helped the two connect more comfortably. Kohli shared that during domestic matches, he would regularly advise Prince about bowling plans, field placements and tactical decisions from positions like mid-off and cover.
According to Kohli, such exchanges are necessary because experienced players have a duty to ensure that the standards of Indian cricket continue to grow rather than decline.
“So people don’t know. I went and played Vijay Hazare. I didn’t know Prince at all. So because he, you know, on the field he feels like he’s very intense. And he’s such a sweet guy. And he’s so funny. Because Ishant was there as well. And Ishant knows him. So I got very close to him. And he opened up really nicely to me. So I was telling him even on those times, you know, even through those Vijay Hazare games, standing and mid-off covers, whatever, what to do, where to bowl. You have to share experience,” added Kohli.
Kohli concluded by saying that true progress lies in helping younger cricketers become the best version of themselves. He believes that when talented players are guided properly at an early stage, Indian cricket benefits massively in the future. Even though Prince’s wicket came at Kohli’s expense, the RCB veteran made it clear that he takes pride in seeing young Indian players evolve and succeed on the big stage.
“So you don’t want to see a situation where tomorrow the standards are dropping. If you can help someone to get to their potential best, then their best version will eventually help Indian cricket. That’s the progress I see,” Kohli signed off.
