Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s success in IPL 2026 has come from functioning as a complete unit rather than relying entirely on Virat Kohli. Ahead of the high-voltage Qualifier 1 clash against the Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala, Manjrekar warned that RCB could face problems if Kohli tries to shoulder too much responsibility during the playoffs.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans on Tuesday, May 26, at the HPCA Stadium, with a direct spot in the IPL 2026 final on the line. Kohli heads into the contest after another outstanding league-stage campaign, having scored 557 runs in 14 matches at an impressive average of 50.63.

The former RCB captain also enjoys an exceptional record against the Gujarat Titans, scoring 460 runs in eight matches against the franchise at a remarkable average of 76.66. Despite those numbers, Manjrekar stressed that Bengaluru’s strength this season lies in their collective contributions rather than individual brilliance alone.

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“The approach of RCB must remain the same. Virat Kohli is a key player, but everything doesn’t hinge on him; that’s how they have become such a good team,” Sanjay Manjrekar said while speaking to Sportstar.

He also pointed out that Kohli has occasionally taken excessive pressure on himself during crucial knockout matches in the past, something RCB would want to avoid this season.

“Virat needs to keep playing in the same fashion because he tends, in the final stages, to take too much of the onus on himself. If he does that, that’s dangerous territory for RCB,” Sanjay Manjrekar added.

Although Kohli remains one of the IPL’s greatest batters, his playoff numbers have been relatively modest. In 17 playoff innings, he has scored 396 runs at an average of 26.4 with two half-centuries.

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RCB’s balance this season has been strengthened by consistent performances from their bowling attack, especially Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Meanwhile, Kohli’s battle against Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada is expected to be one of the biggest contests in the Dharamsala showdown.