England all-rounder Liam Livingstone recently opened up about his experience of sharing a dressing room with Virat Kohli during his stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025. Livingstone was part of the RCB squad that ended the franchise’s long wait for an IPL title, helping the team lift the trophy for the first time. A year later, he moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad, while RCB successfully defended their crown to become back-to-back champions.
Kohli has long been known for his aggressive approach on the field, thriving in pressure situations and bringing unmatched energy to every contest. His passion and competitiveness have been central to his success over the years. In recent years, the batting great has placed a greater emphasis on family life and personal well-being. He and his family have spent considerable time in London, away from the constant attention that follows him in India. Kohli has also embraced a more spiritual lifestyle, often visiting temples and speaking about the role faith and inner peace have played in his life and career.
Having spent a season alongside Kohli at RCB, Liam Livingstone offered a glimpse into the former India captain’s personality away from the spotlight. The England all-rounder said there is a stark contrast between Kohli’s fierce, ultra-competitive presence on the field and his calm, family-oriented nature off it.
“On the field, he’s ultra-competitive. As soon as he steps over that line, he’s a different person. But, away from cricket, he is a really nice, chill guy, loves spending time with his family. Very chilled out guy,” Livingstone said on the Stick to Cricket Podcast.
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Livingstone also spoke about the challenges that come with Kohli’s immense popularity in India, saying the former captain prefers a quieter life away from the constant public attention.
“Almost like he doesn’t want that life, he lives in India. He doesn’t really want the eyes on him all the time. He is a genuinely nice guy,” he added.
“When he gets out onto the pitch, he is the most competitive player I have seen,” he added.
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Meanwhile, Kohli finished the IPL season as the fourth-highest run-scorer overall and RCB’s leading run-getter, amassing 675 runs from 16 innings at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84. His tally included a century and five half-centuries, with an unbeaten 105 being his highest score. The impressive strike rate underlined the added attacking dimension in his batting, allowing him to maintain his consistency while providing RCB with greater momentum at the top of the order.
Livingstone also credited RCB’s coaching group for helping Kohli evolve his batting approach in recent seasons. He revealed that head coach Andy Flower and team director Mo Bobat encouraged the former India captain to play with greater intent, particularly during the powerplay, a change that has added a new dimension to his already formidable game.
“Mo [Bobat] and Andy [Flower] went in and changed the way he played. They were brave enough to do that,” Livingstone revealed.
“They asked him to be a bit more aggressive, hit more sixes, and keep going with that aggression in the powerplay.” “You see the way he plays now in the powerplay, and he’s way more aggressive than he used to be. Even against spin, he’s playing more shots than he ever did,” Livingstone added.