Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Jacob Bethell spoke about his experience of batting alongside Virat Kohli after getting the opportunity to open the innings with the RCB star in recent matches. Bethell moved to the top of the order after Phil Salt was sidelined with an injury, and the youngster has quickly found himself sharing the crease with one of the biggest names in world cricket. The IPL often gives young players a chance to learn from established stars in a highly competitive environment, and Bethell admitted it has been a valuable experience. At just 22, the England batter has already earned attention for his talent, but opening the batting with Kohli has offered him a close look at the intensity, preparation and mindset of an elite player.
Speaking about opening the batting alongside the Indian maestro, Bethell said having a player of Kohli’s stature at the other end has actually helped him play with more freedom. The young RCB batter also explained why batting with the former captain does not add extra pressure despite the spotlight constantly being on him.
“It is cool. I have said it multiple times, how cool it is to bat with him and be involved in the dressing room with him. I don’t think it adds any more pressure. It is just nice to have someone of that calibre in your team. You can count on him, and a lot of the time, people are only watching him, so a lot of the pressure is off. It is not something that burdens you; it is something that allows you to play freely, I guess,” Bethell said ahead of the MI clash.
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Raipur RCB’s home away from home now
RCB played their first five home matches of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, but the franchise will shift base to the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium for their remaining two home fixtures as part of a prior arrangement.
Bethell also spoke about RCB’s temporary shift to Raipur for the final phase of their home campaign, saying the team has settled in comfortably and is backing itself to adapt quickly to the new conditions ahead of the clash against the Mumbai Indians.
“This is our home away from home now. We had a great welcome yesterday at the hotel, and the transition to Raipur has been seamless. Training today is going to be very important because we have to adapt quickly. Mumbai has had a couple of days here, but I don’t really think that makes a huge difference. We are a confident team, and I think we are going to adapt pretty well,” he added.
