Phil Salt Reveals What Virat Kohli Did To Him When He Hit The King On His Face

Salt reveals how he broke the ice with Kohli [Source: Screengrab/@bet_helll/x.com]Everyone who has played with Virat Kohli (for both India and RCB) has stated that on the field, he is ferocious and is ready for a fight. However, off the field, the 37-year-old star has a completely different personality. “King Kohli,” as they call him, has an aura, and sometimes, players find it hard to break the ice with him.This was a challenge for the hard-hitting English all-rounder, Phil Salt, when he first joined the RCB squad for the IPL 2025 season. Salt was set to partner Kohli at the top, and for any opening pair to do wonders, the pair needs to have a strong rapport.Before the IPL 2025, Salt never really had an interaction with Kohli, and in an interview, the English opener revealed how the two broke the ice, and it involved a funny incident.When Salt hit Kohli during their first IPL interactionSalt and Kohli have been a prolific opening pair in the IPL, but the journey started when Salt hit Kohli during their first-ever interaction.In a viral video, the England opener revealed that during RCB’s unboxing event before the start of IPL 2025, the RCB players were given foam balls to hit in the crowd with a Tennis racket.The funny incident happened when the team players were doing a lap around the stadium, thanking the fans, and tossing the ball around them. During this, one ball struck Virat Kohli on his head as Salt misplaced a shot.sir jacob bethell era @bet_helll Phil Salt is never going to forget his first interaction with Kohli😭 Jul 6, 2026, 9:33 AM Immediately, Salt turned his focus somewhere else as he wanted to avoid Kohli, who was fuming. However, the Indian great saw the funny side of it as he jumped and embraced his opening partner, and Salt had a sigh of relief.This was the ice-breaking moment as the two became best of friends, and that reflected when they batted in the IPL 2025 season.Kohli-Salt partnership gave RCB their maiden IPL titleAhead of the IPL 2025 campaign, RCB released their captain, Faf du Plessis, and brought in Salt as his top-order replacement. The English star became Kohli’s newest opening partner, and together, they created magic.In IPL 2026, Salt was injured for the second half of the season, as the RCB fans couldn’t witness him and Kohli tear apart the bowling, but a season prior, they wreaked havoc, and the numbers reveal the story.Also Read: 1st Time In England's T20I History; Jos Buttler And Phil Salt Register Embarrassing FeatThe two came together to add 565 runs in 13 innings, with a strike rate of 174.3. The partnership at the top was the key to RCB’s title success as the pair was consistent in giving solid starts, and they often laid a strong foundation for the middle-order batters.Salt's RCB numbers at a glanceOne of the smartest buys the franchise has ever made, the 29-year-old instantly became a star for the team in his maiden season for them.In IPL 2025, Salt was the chief aggressor at the top as he smashed 403 runs in 13 matches, with a strike rate of 175.98. He was one of the key players for the side as RCB won their maiden championship.The right-handed batter carried the same form in 2026 season, as he scored 202 runs in six matches before an injury derailed his campaign, and he couldn’t take any further part in RCB's title triumph.Also Read: How Many More ICC Trophies Australia Have Than India?