Cheteshwar Pujara gives key advice to Virat Kohli to stick to his natural game ahead of CSK clash

Veteran Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli's approach for the upcoming match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Pujara emphasized that Kohli should stick to his natural game but be cautious of the spin-friendly conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Virat Kohli started his IPL 2025 campaign in spectacular fashion with a match-winning knock against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season opener. The RCB batter scored an unbeaten 59 runs off 36 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes. This helped RCB secure a comfortable seven-wicket victory in Kolkata.

Speaking in an interview, Cheteshwar Pujara advised that if RCB bats first, they need to be aggressive and make the most of the powerplay. While Pujara insisted that Kohli should not change his game, he also warned the batsman to play with caution on the spin-friendly surface.

"If they bat first, they need to be aggressive. They need to utilize their power play really well. I would insist that Virat shouldn't be changing his game, since he is looking like a different player," Pujara said.

"I do agree that he has to be a bit cautious at Chepauk, but at the same time it's not easy for a batter to change overnight. There has been a lot of talk about the way Virat bats in the IPL. And the way he is batting now, he is looking like a different player. So, I don't think his approach should change in this particular game," he added.

Pujara further stated that Kohli has the ability to handle world-class spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Though Kohli’s numbers against spin may not fully reflect his skill, Pujara is confident in his overall batting quality.

"Virat is someone who is capable enough of taking down, whether it's Ashwin or Jadeja. He is probably one of the best players of spin," Pujara continued.

"Maybe not in this format if you look at just the numbers, but he is a quality player. I think if he can lead from the front and utilize that power play, and if RCB can get close to 60-70 in the first six, then they set up a good base for them," he stated.

The clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings is set to take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, March 28.

Virat Kohli has played 13 IPL innings at the venue, scoring 383 runs at an average of 29.46 and a strike rate of 111.01. His performances include two half-centuries, with a top score of 58.

Kohli is also on the verge of a major IPL milestone. He needs just five more runs to surpass Shikhar Dhawan as the highest run-scorer against CSK in IPL history. Kohli has accumulated 1,053 runs in 33 matches against CSK, while Dhawan leads with 1,057 runs in 29 games at an average of 44.04 and a strike rate of 131.79, including an unbeaten 101. Rohit Sharma (896), Dinesh Karthik (727), and David Warner (696) also feature on the list of top run-scorers.