'He Has That Aura': Josh Hazlewood On How Virat Kohli Pushes Him At RCB Nets
Josh Hazlewood praised Virat Kohli's 'aura' at RCB nets, motivating him to give his best. Both played key roles in RCB's win against KKR. Hazlewood respects Kohli's contributions.
Josh Hazlewood has said that Virat Kohli brings an ‘aura’ to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) nets that pushes the Australian pacer to ‘battle’ and put his best effort, irrespective of his mood. Hazlewood also said that he ‘fully respects’ Kohli’s contributions to the sport and his attacking style of batting.
Kohli and Hazlewood have been reunited at RCB after the franchise signed the pacer for 12.50 crore in last year’s auction. Both played a key role in RCB’s season-opening win against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Hazlewood took the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Harshit Rana and bowled out his four overs at a match-best economy rate of 5.50, while Kohli put up an unbeaten 59 (36) in the chase.
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“You might show up to training feeling a bit flat, just going through the motions. But when you look down and see him 22 yards away, it really kicks you into gear. Training becomes a battle. Especially in the middle, he definitely has that aura about him," Hazlewood said in a video on RCB Bold Diaries.
“I fully respect what he’s done in the game and what he’s still doing now. He’s one of those players who comes at you and plays his shots, which is always nice because it helps move the scoreboard along. He’s a huge wicket for us in any format. He’s scored a lot of hundreds against us in all formats, so in the nets, he really pushes you. By the time you finish, you feel ready for the game," he added.
Hazlewood will be crucial to RCB’s prospects this season. One of the most underrated bowlers in the tournament, he can operate across 20 overs and is quite adaptable to different conditions in India.
After the KKR match, he spoke about how he was feeling the ‘freshest’ he has been in a long time this season.
“I feel like I got through the game very well," the pacer, who missed out on the 2025 Champions Trophy due to an injury, said. “I know the intensity is through the roof, but it’s only four overs. I feel I’ll just keep building throughout the tournament and this is probably the freshest I’ve been in a long time. I’ve done a lot of work off the field to get back to this point, which was tough, but I think I am mentally and physically refreshed."
RCB will now travel to Chepauk to face Chennai Super Kings for their second match of the season on Friday.
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