Virat Kohli is now one of the most accomplished cricketers of his generation, but like every great player, he too had a phase when he was still learning the ropes. Back in 2008, fresh off winning the U19 World Cup, a young Kohli walked into the IPL and the Royal Challengers Bangalore dressing room filled with global stars. As a newcomer, Kohli had the opportunity to rub shoulders with cricketing greats like Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and several other overseas cricketers. This was a learning curve that helped him mature quickly. Also READ: Mohammed Shami Gets Death Threat, Rs 1 Crore Ransom Demanded Speaking to RCB, he revealed how a light-hearted golf session with overseas players sparked early camaraderie, and how one international teammate, in particular, took him under his wing at a crucial time in his career. "Actually out of all the players I have played with initially, Mark Boucher had the biggest impact on me... as a kid. He was the only player I saw, came with the mindset, ok, I am gonna help some of the Indian players. He saw me play and saw a bit of potential, so he figured out what my weaknesses could be, without me asking," he said. He also added how Boucher took young Kohli to the nets and worked with him without asking. "He took me to the nets and said that we need to work on the short balls. No one is going to give you a chance in the Indian team if you cannot pull the ball. He threw tennis balls at me, and I was like, If this is what it is gonna take, I don't think I could make it to the next level. He kept going. And I started becoming better," he added. “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘏𝘖𝘔𝘌. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦… pic.twitter.com/n0DErxgonp — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 6, 2025 ‘It stuck with me’: Kohli says Boucher’s words changed his mindset What left a lasting impression on Kohli was not just Boucher’s advice, but his proactive mentoring. While most senior players focused on their own preparation, Boucher made the effort to help a young Indian teammate improve, and that gesture stayed with Kohli. Also READ: What Happens if SRH vs DC Match Gets Washed Out Due to Rain? He recalled one particular statement from the South African great that motivated him for years and became a turning point in how he viewed his own potential. "He told me when I come to India for commentary in 4-5 years and If I don't see you playing for India, you are doing a diservice to yourself. It stuck with me. This really pushed me in the right direction. He had a big impact on me," he added. Meanwhile, RCB are currently at the top of the IPL 2025 points table, and will be in action on May 9, where they will face Lucknow Super Giants.