New Delhi, April 16: During cricket commentary, past matches often resurface, revealing surprising insights for fans. While commentating during IPL 2026, former explosive opener Virender Sehwag shared an intriguing story about Virat Kohli.
While discussing on JioCinema’s “Champions Commentary,” Sehwag explained why the Delhi Daredevils opted for fast bowler Pradeep Sangwan instead of Kohli in the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
Sehwag recalled, “I remember in IPL 2008, our team had Tilakaratne Dilshan and Shikhar Dhawan as openers. However, we often had them batting at the third and fifth positions since Gautam and I opened the innings. Manoj Tiwary batted at number four. We had many top-order batsmen, making it challenging to fit everyone into the batting order. At that time, Virat was also batting at the third or fourth position. Therefore, we didn’t have space to bring him in. We needed another bowler, so we decided to go with Pradeep Sangwan instead of Kohli.”
Delhi was home to Sehwag, Gambhir, and Shikhar, yet they did not select Kohli in IPL 2008. Kohli became part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) that season and continues to play for them in IPL 2026. This marks his 19th consecutive season with RCB, a record unmatched by any other player with a single franchise. Given his form and fitness, it seems likely that he will remain with RCB at least until IPL 2028.
Kohli has captained RCB for an extended period, significantly contributing to the team’s popularity and brand value. His batting played a crucial role in leading the team to championship victory in IPL 2025. Meanwhile, Delhi has yet to claim an IPL title.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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