“That’s probably the toughest question” - Michael Atherton pulls Dinesh Karthik’s leg

Former England skipper Michael Atherton has pulled the leg of Dinesh Karthik, who was part of the IPL 2025 title-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru support staff, for discussing with the former skipper Virat Kohli during the timeout in the grand finale against the Punjab Kings.

Notably, the RCB mentor Karthik was seen discussing something with Kohli during the timeout in the final. However, Karthik’s words didn’t go down well with Kohli as the RCB opener got out in the next over. When Atherton asked Karthik what exactly the discussion was, Karthik decided not to answer the toughest question.

“Before the final, I had a feeling that if RCB emerged victorious, you would be the one at the front, holding the trophy, and that’s exactly how it played out. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli was at the back, but you still won the trophy,” Atherton said on Sky Sports Cricket.

“Then, in that final, something caught my attention. During a strategic break, you spent significant time talking to Virat Kohli while he was at the crease. I noticed you gesturing towards him for quite some time, and in the following over, he was dismissed. What exactly did you say to him?” Atherton asked.

Reacting to the question, Karthik asserted that it would be the toughest question he has ever been asked on a podcast. Moreover, he added that he doesn’t want to put himself in danger by giving the wrong answer.

“That’s probably the toughest question I’ve ever been asked on a podcast. At least I can handle the first part. But for the second, I’m trying to think carefully, without putting myself in danger by giving the wrong answer,” Karthik replied.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you speechless. You’re not saying anything,” Nasser Hussain said.

“I was just wondering, what could this man possibly be telling one of the greatest batters in cricket history? What advice would he offer him? And then I realised that whatever he said didn’t work, because he was out in the next over,” Atherton concluded.

India’s updated squad for first Test vs England: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.

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