‘Virat Kohli Is A Very Good Role Model’: England’s Will Jacks Credits IND Star For Valuable Tips Ahead of T20 World Cup

May 29, 2024 0 969

As per Will Jacks, Virat Kohli offered valuable batting advice to him during the IPL, helping Jacks prepare for the T20 World Cup.

English all-rounder Will Jacks is looking to capitalize on the lessons learned from batting alongside Indian superstar Virat Kohli during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL). Jacks will be a key player for England as they aim to defend their T20 World Cup title next month.

Jacks impressed in the second warm-up match against Pakistan, scoring a quickfire 37 to help England secure a 23-run win. This follows his recent exploits in the IPL, where he smashed an unbeaten century for Royal Challengers Bengaluru while batting alongside Kohli.

“The big thing with the IPL is that every game is a big occasion. There’s a great crowd and atmosphere, similar to international cricket. Every match feels like you need to step up,” Jacks said, as quoted by NDTV.

Jacks spoke highly of Kohli’s influence. “He’s a very good role model. The way he approaches all the training and every aspect of the game off the field, his intensity, everything he does is a 100 percent attention. He’s done it for such a long time and I can appreciate that as a young guy who often doesn’t want to do the hard yards, but you see him doing it and want to copy that,” said Jacks of Kohli.

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“When we were batting together, he was coaching me through the innings. He shared valuable tips about chasing a target and pacing the game, which was really helpful. I’m proud of the way I stayed in the partnership and didn’t give my wicket away cheaply,” revealed Jacks.

Jacks, who has limited experience in international cricket with just two Tests, seven ODIs, and 12 T20s, is excited for the upcoming World Cup. “Playing in a World Cup is a dream I’ve had since I was a kid. We’re building momentum in the right direction, and I’m looking forward to it,” added Jacks.

“I’ve been getting starts in most games. Now, the focus is on converting those starts into big scores that win matches. That’s more of a mental shift than anything else. As long as the team wins, the average doesn’t matter,” concluded the all-rounder.