Pre-season training camps usually involve all business, drills, fitness sessions, tactical discussions and a lot of hard work behind closed doors. But occasionally, a moment quietly emerges that captures the feeling in the dressing room better than any press conference. that’s exactly what happened Royal Challengers Bangalore pre-season nets, cricket fans were taken by surprise when a short clip posted on the official social media of RCB.
Venkatesh Iyer’s move to RCB and what he brings
Venkatesh Iyer Was selected by RCB ₹7 crore But ipl 2026 auctionHas been an important part of the Kolkata Knight Riders setup in the past. in their time KKRhe played 62 matches and scored 1,468 runs As a left-handed batsman, the average Strike rate 137.32 He has one century and 12 fifties to his name.
But what always makes Iyer interesting is that he is not just a batsman. His ability to bowl at good pace and contribute with the ball adds a layer of flexibility that any T20 team values. RCB head coach andy flowers Iyer’s all-round utility has already been described as crucial to the team’s balance, and going by the nets footage, it looks like Iyer is taking that responsibility seriously.
Virat Kohli called Iyer Alan Donald
Iyer was seen bowling in the nets and bowling accurate yorkers which flew past the off-stump. It’s no one else but him to stand by and watch it happen Virat KohliWho immediately reacts with a smile and leaves a reference that no Indian cricket fan will forget. Kohli called Iyer and said “Venkateshwar, you have become Alan Donald.” – He was compared to the South African fast bowler right in the middle of the practice session.
Here is the video:
Wake up 12th Man Army, a new nickname has just been released. 🤭🤭
Watch the video to see what VK said. 🔥🔥
This is Emmivi Presents RCB Shorts.#playbold #নমমRCB #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/GjhdlJv2TM
– Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) 26 March 2026
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For those unfamiliar with the name, alan donald He is considered one of the most dangerous fast bowlers of all time. South African, surname “white Lightning,” Terrorized batsmen in the 1990s and early 2000s with his sheer pace, accuracy and ability to produce sharp bounce on any surface. He took 330 Test wickets and played a key role in South Africa’s emergence as a cricket powerhouse following his return to international cricket.
So when Kohli, a man who has faced the best bowlers in the world across formats, casually drops that name while watching a net session, it’s not something you ignore. This was apparently said in good humour, but the underlying point was clear: Iyer was bowling with genuine pace and accuracy, enough to elicit a reaction from one of cricket’s most competitive minds.
RCB will begin their title defense against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru this Saturday, and if the energy emanating from their pre-season camp is anything to go by, the defending champions are indeed going into IPL 2026 with very good expectations.
Also read: Ruturaj Gaikwad hints at new opening pair for CSK in IPL 2026
