What would you do if a childhood hero addressed you by name, asked how you are doing, and showed interest in your career progression? In IPL 2025, Nehal Wadhera got to experience that surreal moment when Virat Kohli greeted him before the Punjab Kings’ game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Wadhera has been enjoying a very effective, albeit somewhat under-the-radar, IPL season. Batting at either No. 4 or 5 for Punjab, he has scored 189 runs at an average of 37.8 and a strike rate of 146.5. He’s on track for his best IPL season yet.
Meeting Virat Kohli
“I was actually really shocked that before our match started, Viratbhai was standing outside and chatting with Shreyas Iyer, and he called me himself and said, ‘Aur Nehal ki haalchaal hai?’ I was shocked that he even knew my name, I wasn’t expecting he’ll remember my name (sic),” Wadhera told a group of journalists. “I got really happy, and that opened the door for me to be able to go up to him and ask questions. That was the icebreaker; that Viratbhai knew my name, and I could actually go up to him and have a conversation. Even in the Mullanpur match, he had a tremendous innings, and after that, we had a chat. It was really good talking to him.Bahut mazaa aaya!”
In Punjab Kings’ first game against RCB, Wadhera’s unbeaten 33 off 19 balls played a crucial role in securing victory in a low-scoring match. After the game, he approached Kohli and had a detailed conversation about the state of his game.
“As soon as the match finished, I went up to him and asked, ‘Virat bhai, you’ve seen me over the last two years and this season. Do you see any changes in me? What do you think I can improve on?’ I am a really big fan of his, and if he tells me something, I always start working on it. I explained my plan to him and how I executed it. He told me that my approach of attacking the bowlers was good, especially since it can get challenging in low-scoring games. Then he said, ‘Nehal, I liked watching your batting. I can see composure in your game—you’re playing your shots while thinking.’ I was really happy to hear that from a legend like Virat Kohli.”
The confidence from playing Archer
Wadhera made his IPL debut with Mumbai Indians in 2023, a team packed with superstars, including Jofra Archer. Facing Archer in the nets gave Wadhera the confidence that he belonged at the top level.
“If you look at the Mumbai Indians’ batting lineup, all their players are India internationals. I honestly didn’t expect to make it into the playing XI. But I did well in the practice games — that’s when I faced Jofra Archer for the first time. As they say, it’s not just about being good; it’s about knowing you’re good. And when I played against Archer in those games, I felt that confidence, ‘Yes, I’m ready for this level’.”
The backing from Shreyas and Ponting
Wadhera was bought for ₹4.20 crore in the IPL 2025 mega-auction and has since found himself at home with the Punjab Kings.
“I think Shreyas Iyer is a really great captain,” Wadhera said. “The combination he’s building with Ricky Ponting is also really good. They’ve worked together at DC as well, so I think they share strong chemistry. They’ve built a great rapport with us too — the newcomers like me who are playing for Punjab Kings for the first time. When I came here, I never felt like a new guy. It felt like family. These things give players confidence and a sense of security.”
“Everyone knows about Shreyas’ match-winning batting, but the way he makes bowling changes, field changes – you get to know that he’s really involved and he always thinks of the team first. He thinks of the team winning rather than his own performance. If you have a captain like that with you, there are positive energies all around,” he said.
With five wins from eight games, Punjab have kept themselves firmly in contention for a playoff spot — something they last achieved in 2014. Wadhera’s mature batting has played its part in keeping them on course. If he can maintain this form, he could help realise a decade-long aspiration.
