Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batsman Virat Kohli was impressed by all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer during the recent practice session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Kohli was left stunned after Iyer uprooted his stumps with a fast ball during the nets before the start of the season.
The defending champions will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, March 28. Notably, Royal Challengers acquired Iyer for ₹7 crore after beating Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a tough bidding war during the IPL 2026 mini auction last year.
Virat Kohli compared Venkatesh Iyer with Allan Donald during the nets session
Reacting to the impressive bowling performance in the nets, Virat Kohli compared Venkatesh Iyer to South African fast bowling legend Allan Donald. Kohli was impressed by the pace and accuracy shown by the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder.
After Venkatesh uprooted the stumps during a net session, Kohli expressed his admiration by comparing the medium pacer’s aggression and rhythm to that of the great South African fast bowler.
“Venkateshwar, you have become Alan Donald,” Kohli said in a viral video.
Watch the video of the same posted by a user on Instagram below:
Venkatesh Iyer’s role for Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB head coach Andy Flower highlighted the advantage of having Venkatesh Iyer as a seam-bowling option. With Yash Dayal unavailable and Josh Hazlewood doubtful for the opening matches, Flower stressed that short spells from Venkatesh could ease the pressure on the attack.
“Even if someone bowls one over from the seam, it helps a lot. It takes the pressure off the other bowler. One over, that’s important.”
RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobt said that the franchise has signed the former Kolkata Knight Riders player to strengthen the batting lineup.
“My main reason for choosing Venky is that he is a good batsman.”
Venkatesh Iyer adds experience to RCB setup ahead of IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bangalore will be largely dependent on Virat Kohli, who was the leading run-scorer for the franchise in the Indian Premier League 2025.
The right-handed batsman scored 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, which included eight half-centuries. Rajat Patidar’s team won their first title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Venkatesh Iyer brings valuable experience to RCB. He has scored 1,468 runs in 56 innings at a strike rate of 137.32, which includes one century and 12 fifties. Iyer was also a key member of KKR’s title-winning campaign in 2024 under Shreyas Iyer. He scored 370 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 158.79.
With the ball, he has taken three wickets in nine IPL matches at an economy rate of 10.59. Overall, he has taken 55 wickets in 76 T20s at an economy rate of 7.76.
Also Read: Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 Full Schedule: GT Fixtures, Dates, Time and Venue | Squad and coach
