Former South Africa and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player AB de Villiers praised legendary batter Virat Kohli as the “heartbeat” of the franchise before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, while backing RCB to defend the title as well. Virat Kohli, however, will play his 19th edition of the IPL with the Bengaluru-based franchise, where Kohli was also the league’s highest run-getter with 8,661 runs in 267 matches as well.
Speaking on JioStar, AB de Villiers said, “Virat definitely is still the heartbeat of the franchise. Not only through his performances and the consistency he has achieved with the bat over the years, but also through his presence and the energy he brings to the squad. The way he conducts himself on and off the field, always fighting for the team, stands out.”
“He brings that energy and makes the youngsters believe that they can ultimately go on and win the trophy, which RCB did last year. What I liked about last season, yes, he was one of the main run-scorers in the team, as openers usually are, but there were other players who stepped in. In the past, RCB were often guilty of relying on just two, three or four players performing consistently. This time, I felt the entire team chipped in,” de Villiers further added.
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However, in the IPL 2025 final, RCB defeated Punjab Kings, while chasing their maiden IPL title, by six runs. Virat Kohli was the top run-scorer for RCB. Meanwhile, AB de Villiers also said that Virat Kohli wasn’t alone in the final, as Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd also contributed with runs, while Krunal Pandya delivered with the ball as well.
“The final is a great example, with Virat scoring 43 runs off 35 balls. But it was actually Patidar, Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd who scored at a high strike rate and helped the team post 190-plus, ultimately winning the game. Krunal Pandya also chipped in with the ball. That’s my point, players contributing like that throughout the season, and the bowling attack stepping up. Virat can feel that, he can sense that he is not the only one carrying the load anymore. He has a squad of fighters around him, all gunning to win the trophy. I think they are in a really good place. It’s a similar squad, they didn’t have to change much, and they have good reason to believe they can go all the way again this coming season,” AB de Villiers said.
“First of all, he has the best work ethic I have ever seen in my life. So, he will not come into the tournament undercooked. If he doesn’t play well, it will purely be down to form or maybe a technical error. I am expecting a great season from him. I can only imagine how hyped he must be after getting quite a bit of rest. Virat will most definitely be ready, there is no doubt about it, and RCB can actually go back-to-back,” AB De Villiers concluded.
