Virat Kohli and Phil Salt were seen training together in a practice session, as shared in a video by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In the clip, Kohli turned as bowler helping Salt with his batting, as the English batter looks to overcome a recent dip in form.
Kohli and Salt have emerged as one of the most destructive opening duos in the IPL. Last season, their partnership played a crucial role in helping RCB lift their maiden title after 18 years. The duo consistently provided aggressive starts, with Salt taking on the role of the aggressor while Kohli anchored the innings.
In 13 innings together, they accumulated 565 runs. One of their standout partnerships came against KKR, where they added 95 runs in just 8.3 overs while chasing 175. Salt scored 56 (31), while Kohli remained unbeaten on 59* (36).
Another dominant performance came against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, where they put on a 92-run opening stand in a nine-wicket win. Salt smashed 65 (33), while Kohli finished with 62* (45).
Individual Role in RCB’s Title Campaign (2025)
Phil Salt played a vital role for RCB in IPL 2025, scoring 403 runs in 13 innings at an impressive strike rate of 175.98, including four half-centuries.
Virat Kohli also had a stellar season, amassing 657 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.75. He played a key role in RCB’s title win, including a crucial 43-run knock in the final against Punjab Kings.
Kohli Backs Salt
Despite Salt’s recent struggles in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he scored just 130 runs in eight innings, Kohli has shown strong support for his opening partner. Salt remains one of the most destructive T20 batters, and RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, has also backed him to regain form ahead of IPL 2026.
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“Someone like Phil Salt is still ranked among the top two or three T20 batters [No. 4] in the world, He also really enjoys being with RCB. He enjoys the franchise. He enjoys his partnership with Virat [Kohli]. He works very well with the likes of Andy and DK [Dinesh Karthik]. So, they’re doing some really good work right now. And I’m pretty sure we’ll see at the start of the season Phil Salt doing his thing. You know, I’m looking forward to watching him and Virat walk out to bat like they do. A couple of gladiators walking out, which is always exciting. And they’ll be trying to put the opposition under pressure. We’ve got a lot of confidence in our team. In particular, with your question, we do have confidence in Phil Salt.” Mo Bobat said at a press conference on Tuesday (March 24).
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