Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Virat Kohli has become a calmer and more composed cricketer in recent years, crediting his maturity and understanding of the game for the change. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif said he had noticed a clear difference in Kohli’s approach compared to his early playing days. “Virat Kohli has become a bit calm now. There is a lot of difference between how he was before marriage and how he is after marriage,” Kaif said. Recalling a chat with Kohli during an IPL match, Kaif added that the star batter’s decision-making has evolved. “When I see him playing now… he hit Rabada for a boundary coming down the ground, maybe he had scored a half-century and won the game. But he was very calm. He told me that if I had not attacked Rabada early on, he would not have let me play. So I wanted to hit him off the first ball,” Kaif said, adding that Kohli’s “understanding of cricket has improved with calmness.” Kaif, who shared the dressing room with Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), said the 37-year-old’s attitude towards people remains unchanged despite his superstar status. “He still wants to improve his game after having played for so many years. And he still meets me the same way even now. If he called you a brother before, he will call you a brother now as well. When you meet him off the field, he will remember that he has played with you and will give you that respect. There is no change there,” Kaif said. Kohli recently featured in the ODI series against Australia, bouncing back with an unbeaten 74 in the final game after consecutive ducks in the first two matches.
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Addressing speculation about Kohli’s contract situation with RCB, Kaif said the batter was taking a cautious approach amid ownership changes. “There are rumors that the next season might not have the RCB name. Virat Kohli did not sign the commercial contract as he was waiting to see what direction the new owners would take,” he said.
