IPL 2025: Not Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins, Virat Kohli Reveals The One Pace Bowler He Fears The Most

When it comes to facing the fiercest bowlers in world cricket, Virat Kohli has seen it all. However, the Indian batting maestro has singled out one pacer who stands out as the toughest challenge he has ever encountered—none other than Jasprit Bumrah.

The 31-year-old speedster from Ahmedabad, who spearheads the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has troubled Kohli more than any other fast bowler. Kohli not only regards Bumrah as the best bowler across formats but also acknowledges the intense rivalry they share in the IPL.

Kohli vs. Bumrah: A Battle of Titans

Kohli himself admitted that facing Bumrah in a match is a thrilling challenge. “No doubt about the fact that Jasprit (Bumrah) is the best bowler in the world across all the formats. He’s gotten me out a few times in the IPL. I’ve had success against him in the IPL, so whenever I face him, it’s like, ‘Okay, it’s going to be fun,’ because we don’t get to do that in the nets,” Kohli said in a video shared by RCB’s official social media handles.

The dynamic between the two is one of intense competition, even during practice sessions. “I mean, even he and I in the nets, it’s like playing a match. The intensity is like we play a match in the IPL, where every ball is like, I wanted to hit him for runs, and he wants to get me out, and I try not to get out of him, so you can sense it like he’s at match intensity, I’m at match intensity. So today he’s probably the marker that I keep when I play against him in the nets regularly; that I would say is the most enjoyable and the toughest challenge,” he added.

Bumrah’s Dominance Over Kohli in IPL

Bumrah’s IPL career began on April 4, 2013, against Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (then Royal Challengers Bangalore). In that very match, the 19-year-old pacer experienced both the ruthlessness and the brilliance of Kohli. Despite being hit for three boundaries in his first over, Bumrah had the last laugh as he dismissed Kohli lbw on the fifth delivery—his maiden IPL wicket.

Since then, the two have locked horns multiple times in the IPL. Bumrah has managed to dismiss Kohli a total of four times in IPL history, a testament to his ability to trouble one of the finest batsmen in the game. Across 133 IPL matches, Bumrah has picked up 165 wickets and remains a cornerstone of Mumbai Indians’ success, being one of the three players to lift five IPL titles with the franchise.

As IPL 2025 unfolds, fans can expect another electrifying battle between these two greats, each looking to outshine the other in their relentless pursuit of excellence.

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