New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson recently had an opportunity to play with the India captain Virat Kohli before the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in June. Jamieson was also part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021).
When asked about Jamieson's face-off with Kohli in the nets, the Kiwi said he was planning to use the dukes balls he carried with him later on in the IPL 2021 season. He was sold for ₹15 crores to RCB in the IPL 2021 auction.
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Speaking on his relationship with Kohli at a virtual press conference from the UK on Wednesday (May 19), he said, “We were talking generally about cricket, having played against each other 12 months before. He was asking me if I had played in England, what his own experiences had been there. No specifics. We went our ways with a sort of parting jibe – ‘See you in a month’s time.'”
“I had two Dukes balls in my bag but I didn’t get the chance to use them. I was going to bring them out at the back end of the tournament,” he added.
Jamieson's RCB teammate Dan Christian had made comments on a podcast that the Kiwi pacer had not bowled to Kohli with the dukes ball despite attempts made by the RCB skipper.
“Pretty cagey from Virat actually, right in the first week we were here… Virat says ‘Oh, if you want to have a bowl against me in the nets, I am more than happy to face’. Jamie was like, ‘No chance I am going to bowl at you!’” Christian had said.
Speaking on his time in India, Jamieson said it was a good opportunity to share the dressing room with some of the finest cricketers. “My time in the IPL was a great chance to share the dressing room with some legends of the game like Kohli and AB de Villiers. It was great to be involved in that atmosphere, to soak up the knowledge, albeit all the things that were going on outside (the IPL bubble).”
The IPL 2021 was suspended after the bio-bubble of the multiple franchises were breached by COVID-19. RCB played seven matches before the tournament was postponed.
