Phil Salt, the opener for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has spoken candidly about playing the Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk in the 2025 Indian Premier League. The match felt exactly like a Manchester derby, according to Salt, who was only playing his second match for the team at the time.
Salt was purchased by RCB at the IPL 2025 auction with INR 11.50 crore. With 403 runs in 13 games, including four half-centuries, the England wicketkeeper-batter concluded the season as a key contributor to RCB’s inaugural IPL title triumph. One of the few players to win consecutive championships with two different teams is Salt, who also won the IPL 2024 trophy with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
When Salt thought back on the Chepauk match, where RCB defeated CSK for the first time since 2008, he noted that the commotion surrounding the match was unlike anything he had encountered in franchise cricket.
“I knew this wasn’t just another game when I travelled to Chennai for my second match with the RCB. The intensity of this competition was evident from the way the guys discussed it. It reminded me of a Manchester derby. In training, the media, and group discussions, you could feel the tension building. “You realise how big that game really is once you become aware of that history and that rivalry,” Phil Salt said on the RCB Podcast.
As soon as we both got here, Virat and I began to develop that bond: Phil Salt
The opening acknowledged that he realised the importance of the match after learning about the rivalry. Salt added that the first step in managing pressure is to concentrate on short-term, everyday gains rather than long-term objectives.
For me, it all comes down to working day in and day out and being totally focused on the task. I start by concentrating on the little things, like going to the gym, maintaining a healthy body, and making wise physical decisions. The cricket aspect of it follows. I get unclear when I concentrate too much on lofty objectives and results. When I was younger, I had to learn that the hard way. Small steps and daily improvement are now more important to me than outcomes,” Phil Salt continued.
He added that before moving on to cricket-specific training, physical preparation—which includes going to the gym, controlling workload, and making the correct decisions—comes first. Phil Salt also discussed how his collaboration with Virat Kohli performed exceptionally well throughout the season.
We began establishing that bond as soon as we both got here. It is essentially a dialogue that takes place in the centre, often without the need for words at all. The other guy’s style of play is obvious. For instance, there wasn’t much conversation in Jaipur; it was clear that Virat was pleased to pass it to me whenever he went on strike. Having a solid rapport with the person you are opening up to is always crucial. In order to bring out the best in each other, you must comprehend how they play and they must comprehend your game,” Phil Salt said.
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