For millions of cricket fans, Virat Kohli remains one of the most recognisable faces in the sport. However, according to England cricketer Liam Livingstone, the former India captain is very different away from the spotlight and prefers a quieter life with his family.
Liam Livingstone, who played alongside Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the 2025 IPL season, recently shared his experience of getting to know the Indian batting legend both on and off the field. He explained that while Virat Kohli is one of the most competitive cricketers he has ever seen during matches, his personality changes completely once the game is over.
The England all-rounder described Kohli as a relaxed and friendly person who enjoys spending time with his family. Liam Livingstone noted that although Virat thrives on competition when he steps onto the field, he appears to prefer staying away from constant public attention in his personal life.
Virat Kohli, along with his wife Anushka Sharma and their two children, moved to London in February 2024. While the family continues to have strong ties to India, including relatives and multiple properties, they spend most of their time in the United Kingdom. The move has often been linked to the intense public attention Kohli receives in India, where cricketers frequently struggle to move around freely due to their enormous popularity. Among them, Virat remains one of the most followed and recognised figures.
Liam Livingstone also spoke about the transformation in Virat Kohli’s batting approach over the past two years. According to him, RCB’s director of cricket Mo Bobat and head coach Andy Flower played a major role in encouraging Kohli to adopt a more aggressive style of play.
He revealed that the coaching staff wanted Virat to attack more in the powerplay, hit additional sixes and maintain an aggressive mindset throughout the early stages of an innings. Liam Livingstone believes that this change is clearly visible in Kohli’s current batting. He pointed out that the veteran batter now takes more risks, attacks bowlers earlier and plays more shots against spin than he did in the past.
Although Liam Livingstone has since moved from RCB to Sunrisers Hyderabad, his comments offer a rare glimpse into the personality of one of the biggest cricket stars, an ultra-competitive player on the field and a calm family man away from it.
