India national cricket team batter Virat Kohli has arrived in Bengaluru to join Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) camp ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, as the defending champions prepare to open their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, March 28, 2026. RCB announced his arrival on social media.
Kohli played a pivotal role in RCB’s historic triumph last season, scoring 657 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 144.71 and an average of 54.75, including eight half-centuries. His consistency at the top of the order was instrumental in ending the franchise’s 18-year wait for its maiden IPL title.
Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB broke its long-standing title drought, and the focus now shifts to defending the crown in what is expected to be a competitive season.
Kohli, who has retired from T20 internationals and Test cricket, will now feature only in ODIs and the IPL. In recent ODI assignments, he scored 135, 102 and an unbeaten 65 against South Africa, followed by 93 and 124 in a series against New Zealand.
Kohli also heads into the season as the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer, with 8,661 runs in 267 matches, including a record eight centuries.
Kohli also enters the season as the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer, with 8,661 runs in 267 matches, including a record eight centuries.
