Virat Kohli played a match-winning inning of 69 not out off 38 balls as defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) started their IPL 2026 campaign with a resounding six-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing 202, RCB won easily by scoring 203/4 in just 15.4 overs, with Devdutt Padikkal scoring 61 runs off 26 balls. Kohli, who was playing his 19th IPL season (the first player to do so for a single franchise), did not look at all out of form despite little match practice recently.
After India’s ODI series in January, Kohli spent time with his family in London, and deliberately stayed away from the hot limelight of the Indian media. The move sparked discussions and jokes online that RCB were actually fielding “five overseas players”. Danish Sait’s famous character Mr. In a fun video segment of RCB with Nags, the host took a dig at these taunts. Kohli replied mischievously: “I don’t know, why are you asking me? Ask the overseas players. I’m not an overseas player. Am I an overseas player?” This light-hearted reply instantly went viral.
Talking about RCB’s historic first IPL title in 2025—which ended a heart-breaking 18-season wait—Kohli reflected on the emotional relief he felt: “I had heard this saying that after four years, a burden is lifted. That night I really felt what it meant. Everything became lighter.”
He elaborated on the deeper meaning of victory: “Winning is the result of hard work, of all the sacrifices you have made… It makes you feel that your hard work has been rewarded, and it also inspires you to work even harder.” He said that many players learn from defeat, but continued success validates years of dedication and keeps disappointment at bay. RCB, playing under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, will play its next high-profile match against Chennai Super Kings (who is captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni is still in the team) on 5 April 2026 at the same ground.
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