England opener Phil Salt has opened up about how strong his connection with Virat Kohli grew during IPL 2025. He said their understanding at the top order was a key reason behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden title win.
In an RCB podcast, Salt explained how naturally the partnership developed, saying, “It’s always important to have a strong relationship with whoever you’re opening with. You need to understand how they play, and they need to understand your game too, so that you can bring the best out of each other.”
He shared moments from the season that showed how both players sensed each other’s rhythm. “We started building that connection from the moment we both arrived here… It’s very much a conversation that happens out in the middle, and sometimes it doesn’t even need words. You can just sense how the other guy is playing. In Jaipur, for example, there wasn’tmuch chat at all, it was just obvious that whenever Virat got on strike, he was happy to rotate it to me.”
Salt added that in matches like Delhi, either of them could take charge. “Sometimes you talk it through, and sometimes it happens completely organically. It’s a moving picture.”
Salt also recalled his initial reaction after RCB bought him, saying, “My first thought was that this is a team I would really suit playing for… Everything felt very aligned with my game.”
Speaking about modern T20 batting, he highlighted the importance of attacking cricket and staying process-driven. “For me, it’s all about working day by day and being completely process-driven… When I focus too much on big goals and outcomes, I lose clarity… Now everything for me is about small steps and daily progress, not being obsessed with results.”
Salt scored 403 runs as an opener for RCB. He was also part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2024 title-winning squad, where he scored 435 runs.
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