Phil Salt says his partnership with Virat Kohli “clicked from day one” at RCB
He highlights communication and instinctive understanding between the duo
Their strong power-play stands have boosted RCB’s top-order stability in IPL 2025
From the moment the 2025 season kicked off, Phil Salt has shown why he believes his opening pairing with Virat Kohli was made in cricketing heaven. The England right-hander was full of praise for how quickly their chemistry clicked in the RCB dressing room. “We started building that connection from the moment we both arrived here, and I’m really pleased with how it’s developing,” Salt said, highlighting how instinctive understanding and mutual respect have played a key role.
That connection has translated into results on the field, a fact that has energized both teammates and fans. Salt and Kohli together provided RCB with strong power-play foundations throughout the season, giving the batting unit stability, momentum early on and later, their first-ever IPL trophy.
Salt and Kohli: A Dynamic Opening Pair for RCB
For any T20 franchise, finding the right opening combination can be the difference between a nervy start and a blistering assault. Salt acknowledged this, stressing the importance of understanding each other's game. “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,” he reflected.
He says much of their coordination stems from simple yet powerful communication, not always through words but via mutual sense on the field. "It’s very much a conversation that happens out in the middle, and sometimes it doesn’t even need words," he added.
Their synergy paid off multiple times in 2025, including a standout performance when RCB chased down a big total comfortably thanks to a strong opening stand from them.
What This Partnership Means for RCB’s Future
The benefits of their growing chemistry go beyond just power-play fireworks. With Salt’s aggressive stroke-play and Kohli’s seasoned temperament, RCB now possesses a balanced opening pair capable of adapting to any game situation. Salt’s ease and confidence alongside Kohli has given the batting order a reliable foundation, a huge plus in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the league.
Moreover, the camaraderie and mutual respect between the two have helped foster a positive dressing-room culture, often a neglected but crucial factor in a long tournament. As Salt put it, the comfort and trust between them mean that on the field, much of their coordination happens almost instinctively.
