Virat Kohli is basking in the glory of his IPL franchise, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, becoming the champions for the second season in a row. Having won a maiden title in 2025, RCB repeated the feat in the following year and became just the third team in the competition’s history to retain the crown.
Kohli was central to their title-winning campaigns as he finished as their leading run-getter on both occasions. He made 657 runs last year and followed that with 675 runs in IPL 2026.
On Monday, Kohli shared a picture with his RCB captain Rajat Patidar and teammate Devdutt Padikkal as the trio posed with the IPL trophy, with each sporting a commemorative T-shirt with the message “One Felt Nice, We Did It Twice” – a reference to the team’s successive triumphs.
WATCH – Virat Kohli Seeks Out Vaibhav Sooryavanshi After IPL 2026 Final
“We asked ourselves a question last year – can we go back to back? Here we are again,” Kohli wrote on X.
We asked ourselves a question last year- can we go back to back?
Here we are again 🏆🏆❤️❤️ @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/o2eWnJU6NJ
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 1, 2026
Kohli scoring truckloads of runs isn’t an anomaly. However, what was remarkable this year was the pace at which he accumulated those runs. He scored at a strike-rate of 165.84 – the best he has managed in a single edition since making his debut in 2008.
After top-scoring in the final with an unbeaten 75 as RCB defeated Gujarat Titans, Kohli admitted that younger players are now dictating how T20 cricket is played and so he had to also adjust.
WATCH – Krunal Pandya Leads RCB’s Trophy Dance As Virat Kohli Joins The Party
“(It is the) stuff you dream of. (I) thought of this moment many times, wanting to hit the winning run,” Kohli said after the finale. “Such is the demand (that) super young players (are) pushing you to up the ante,” he said in jest, but the seriousness of his statement wasn’t lost on anyone.”
“I had to change my mindset, not my game so much, take on bowlers and get extra runs,” he added. Kohli will soon be back in action later this month when India host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series.
