Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have got the biggest boost as their biggest superstar Virat Kohli has looked more dangerous than ever in the team’s practice matches ahead of IPL 2026, starting from March 28 in Bengaluru.
As Royal Challengers Bangalore is set to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match on home soil, Virat Kohli has already shown that he is in full attacking mood in the new season.
The defending champions have played two intra-squad matches to test their combinations, and the former captain has won both the games. In the first practice match, the right-handed batsman scored 29 runs in just 12 balls.
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Virat Kohli turns on beast mode before the start of IPL 2026
It was a short innings but full of pure aggression, which fans want to see more often in modern T20 cricket. But the real fireworks happened in RCB’s second practice match. Kohli looked even more explosive and scored 45 runs in just 19 balls.
The RCB icon had a strike rate of over 200 in both the matches, proving how much he has changed his style for the upcoming IPL 2026 and giving a clear warning to the rival teams. Kohli’s overall IPL strike rate initially hovered around 130, but now he is playing almost like a young power-hitter.
With RCB entering IPL 2026 as defending champions, this new version of Kohli adds even more confidence to the camp. His form in these practice matches shows that he is pushing himself to break all boundaries and start the season with great intent.
Dinesh Karthik surprised by Virat Kohli’s form before IPL 2026
Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore mentor and batting coach Dinesh Karthik is thrilled with Kohli’s form ahead of IPL 2026. After watching Kohli bat in the practice match, Karthik felt that the star batsman looked sharp, confident and in complete control right from the start.
Dinesh Karthik said in the RCB video, “Good game today. Virat had class and played some lovely shots. The greatness about Virat is that he comes every year with a definite plan, a definite intention. He saw how much better he actually got at what he wanted to do.”
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I think this year he will try to become even better. It says a lot about who the person is. He is always trying to push his limits. And also what he brings in terms of energy to the crowd, to the meetings. All these are big things and it is also a big part of Virat’s personality.
𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞Ohli is gearing up for another explosive season.
DK talks about preparation, intentions and the energy Virat has brought this season @bigbasket_com RCB presents Bold Diaries. #playbold #নমমRCB #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/NpToH0uOeq
– Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) 25 March 2026
Virat Kohli and his IPL legacy
Actually, Kohli’s name is written everywhere in the IPL record book. Apart from his famous record of most runs in a season, he also holds the records for most runs in IPL history, most matches for a franchise, most seasons for a franchise, most centuries, most fifties, most 50-plus scores, most runs as a captain and even most catches by an outfielder.
The list keeps growing. Currently, Kohli is already the all-time leading run scorer in IPL with 8661 runs. This season, the former Indian captain has a big chance to create another milestone by becoming the first player in IPL history to cross 9000 career runs.
