Virat Kohli not my 'bunny' but I'm confident against him: Rubel Hossain

New Delhi: Virat Kohli has enjoyed being part of rivalries against several opposition bowlers right from his days as a junior cricketer.

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While his more celebrated opponents include the likes of Mitchell Johnson and James Anderson, the one bowler who has enjoyed tremendous success against India's Test skipper is in fact a low key figure in world cricket.

Bangladesh pacer Rubel Hossain shares a rather interesting rivalry with Kohli, which dates back to their Under-19 days.

In a chat with the Times of India, the bowler opened up about his equation with the stylish right-hander.

“Both of us go back a long way. I got Virat out a couple of times in our U-19 days. Then in international cricket too, I have got him a few times. I won't say he is a bunny but yes, I am confident against him," Rubel told TOI.

“On the field he may be very aggressive but outside he is a very nice guy . We speak to each other. He, in fact, came to our dressing room after the quarterfinal and we chatted for a long time," he further added.

The 26-year-old believes the match-up against Kohli helps bring out the best in him too.

“He (Kohli) is actually very aggressive and in-your-face, so facing him also brings out the best in me. I get determined to not let him score. Before the World Cup, we had analysed he was struggling with balls outside the off-stump and that's how we got him," Rubel said.

Rubel is currently recovering from a calf-muscle injury at the Bangladesh Cricket Academy.