Former England cricketers Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain had some fun at Dinesh Karthik’s expense during a podcast on June 16, taking a light-hearted dig at him for his animated conversation with Virat Kohli during the IPL 2025 final. The moment they referred to took place during a strategic timeout when Dinesh Karthik, serving as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s mentor and batting coach, appeared to give detailed instructions to Virat Kohli, who was batting at the time.
Michael Atherton joked that Dinesh Karthik had positioned himself front and center during RCB’s title celebrations, while Virat Kohli was seen at the back. He added that just before Virat Kohli got out in the final, Karthik had given him a long talk during the break. With a smile, he asked Dinesh Karthik what he could possibly have been saying to “one of the greatest batters that has ever walked the Earth,” and sarcastically noted that Virat Kohli got out soon after the interaction, suggesting the advice did not quite work.
Dinesh Karthik was caught off guard by the comment and burst out laughing. He admitted that it was one of the toughest questions he had ever been asked on a podcast. While he attempted to find the right words to respond without getting into trouble, he dodged a clear answer and jokingly asked Michael Atherton what he thought was said.
Michael Atherton did not hold back, repeating his question with mock seriousness, while Nasser Hussain joined in the fun. Noticing Dinesh Karthik’s hesitation, Nasser Hussain pointed out that it might be the first time Dinesh Karthik had no answer and sat there silently.
Despite the teasing, Dinesh Karthik took it all in good spirit. The moment highlighted the camaraderie and banter that often makes cricket podcasts entertaining, even when they revolve around one of the sport’s biggest stars.
