Phil Salt On His On-Field Understanding With Virat Kohli

Opening Partnership and Mutual Understanding

Phil Salt described his working relationship with Virat Kohli as opening partners for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. According to him, clear coordination with the player who starts the inning along with him is important. Salt stated that both players try to be in the perspective of the other. This understanding, he said, developed from the moment they joined the team together.

Salt said they often read each other's game without needing much conversation. He spoke about their matches in Jaipur and Delhi, which have had lesser communication but with good partnerships being built. He says, at times, the discussion of shot selection happens; sometimes, it does not - that depends on the situation. He terms this a natural connection between the two.

Approach to Modern T20 Batting

Salt also commented on the recent trend of batting in T20 cricket. According to him, players nowadays adopt a very attacking way of batting. Previously, some batsmen would have individual goals, such as the Orange Cap. Salt elaborated that this frame of mind no longer works in the modern IPL setting. He pointed out that the players in his squad strive for team success, not personal awards.

Salt's Role in RCB and Recent Team Success

Royal Challengers Bengaluru signed Phil Salt for 11.50 crores ahead of the 2025 season and later retained him ahead of the auction. RCB won the IPL 2025 title after almost 18 years. Virat Kohli was one of the main contributors, scoring over 600 runs for the third consecutive season. Salt said this consistency from the senior players helped the team reach its goal.