Royal Challengers Bengaluru talismanic batter Virat Kohli said he likes to play according to the match situation and its not about overshadowing and playing with ego for him. Kohli has all the experience under his belt and he has been in decent form in the ongoing IPL 2025.

The right-hander recently scored an impressive knock of 67 runs off 42 balls against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. The veteran batter has scored 154 runs in four matches of the tournament at an average of 54.67 and a strike rate of 143.86.

Meanwhile, Kohli recalled the Champions Trophy game when he decided to take the backseat as Shreyas Iyer was going all guns blazing.

Virat Kohli said, “If you look at how things panned out even recently, in one of the Champions Trophy games, Shreyas (Iyer) took charge. It was never about ego. At that time, if I was in rhythm, in the flow of the game, I naturally took the initiative. If someone else was better placed to take the lead, they would do it. It was never about trying to overshadow anyone or suddenly feeling like I don’t have the ability.”

“It’s always been about understanding the game situation – and that’s something I’ve always taken pride in. I want to play according to what the situation demands.”

On the other hand, Kohli recalled that it felt like a fantasy land when it entered RCB in 2008 as the franchise had players like Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.

“The first time I played in the IPL, I was in complete awe. I hadn’t really met anyone before—except maybe Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh from our North Zone days – so walking into a dressing room with legends like Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid felt like fantasy land,” said Kohli.

“But with that excitement came pressure. I knew my game wasn’t quite at that level yet, and I had to prove myself. That pressure eventually caught up with me in the first season. Still, the experience was unforgettable.”

RCB will next take on Delhi Capitals at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Thursday.