'Virat Kohli almost doesn't want the life he lives in India' - Ex-RCBian Liam Livingstone reflects on Indian stalwart's off-field persona

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star Liam Livingstone opined that Virat Kohli might be a fierce competitor on the field and someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, but outside of it, he is someone who wants to stay away from all the limelight.

Livingstone, who played IPL 2026 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, said that Kohli likes to spend time with his family and wants to keep his personal life away from the public eye.

"He was amazing. I'd always played against Virat, and he's always laughing. If you want to have a go at someone, he'll have a go back at you. But on the field, he's ultra-competitive. As soon as he steps over that line, he's a different person. But, on the field, he is a really nice, chill guy, and loves spending time with his family. Very chilled out guy," Livingstone said while speaking on The Overlap Cricket YouTube channel.

"Almost like he doesn't want that life, he lives in India. He doesn't really want the eye on him all the time. He is a genuinely nice guy," he added.

Livingstone shared the RCB dressing room with Kohli during IPL 2025. However, after a disappointing season, he was released by the franchise, and Sunrisers Hyderabad signed him up.

"When he gets out onto the pitch, he is the most competitive player I have seen," Livingstone said while reiterating Kohli's fierce persona when he is playing.

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Livingstone also revealed that RCB's Director of Cricket Mo Bobat and head coach Andy Flower were the ones who asked Kohli to be aggressive inside the power play. In IPL 2026, the former India captain finished with a staggering strike rate of 165.85, his best in a particular season of the cash-rich league.

"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.