Virat Kohli may have been dismissed for a golden duck, but that did not stop him from becoming one of the loudest voices in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s dressing room after their dramatic last-ball, two-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026 clash on Sunday. The former RCB skipper, speaking after a nerve-racking finish, praised the team’s fighting spirit and made it clear that this was the kind of win that can shape a strong tournament campaign.
Kohli kept his message simple, but powerful. In his trademark animated style, he reminded the group that title-winning sides are built on collective effort, not individual brilliance alone. His biggest takeaway from the match was the way RCB dug deep under pressure and found a way to cross the line when the game could have easily slipped away.
“Hey guys, I’m gonna keep it short. I’m gonna wrap it up tonight. Thanks, Andy (Flower), for giving me a chance to do something in the game today,” Virat Kohli joked, before shifting quickly to the bigger picture. “But guys, look, if you want to win multi-team competitions, we need a team. We need a game like that. We need to scrap for a win. We need to fight hard,” he said, underlining the importance of resilience in a long tournament like the IPL.
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Kohli also reserved special praise for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who produced a brilliant spell with the ball and played a key role in keeping RCB in the contest during the Power Play. Kohli described Bhuvneshwar’s execution as world-class and highlighted the importance of his early breakthroughs in shaping the flow of the game.
“We’re just talking about the game, how we started off, I think again. Bhuvi, brilliant in the Power Play, your execution, your skills, you are absolutely world-class. I think it was a sixth three-wicket haul of the season, 11 games, which is crazy,” Virat Kohli added.
Bhuvneshwar, who has been one of RCB’s most reliable bowlers this season, later credited confidence and rhythm for his consistent performances. He explained that once a bowler starts seeing results in the opening phase of the season, the belief naturally grows and execution sharpens.
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“The good thing is that whatever I’m doing or trying to do, it’s happening. And I think it’s all about confidence. When you start IPL, you go through a couple of good matches, then your confidence goes up,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar said. “It’s execution is spot on, getting wickets and, of course, getting help from fielders to catch those crucial touches. So yes, I mean things work out.”
Kohli also applauded Romario Shepherd for his impact with the ball, stressing that RCB’s depth has become a major strength when players step up in pressure moments. He then turned his attention to Krunal Pandya, whom he described as a trusted performer in tense situations. Kohli’s praise reflected how valuable Krunal’s all-round presence has become in the middle overs and at the back end of matches.
“Shefi (Romario Shepherd), the way you bowled tonight was top notch and you showed us what you can do when you feel confident with the ball in hand and you can hit your areas. You have the skill, and we all back you to execute your skills every time. So well done on that,” Virat Kohli said. “KP (Krunal), always can bank on you under pressure or any kind of situation. Again, brilliant with the balls. Suyash (Sharma) did his job as well. Rasikh (Salam Dar) was great too,” he added.
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RCB’s batting start was not ideal, and Kohli admitted that the top order had not fired as planned. However, he was quick to point out that the team had already shown it could respond well in similar situations earlier in the season. He mentioned Rajat Patidar and Tim David for stepping up in previous games, and noted the importance of the partnership that helped RCB recover in this contest.
“With the bat, we didn’t get off to the best start. We know that. But like the last game, we’ve had two games where we haven’t had the best starts, but last game, Rajat stepped up, along with KP contributing. TD (Tim David) made impact in the last game, this game around again, stuck in got us an important partnership with KP. So that contribution was crucial for us to change the score down. So well done,” Virat Kohli said.
The defining moment of the match, however, was Krunal Pandya’s composed effort under severe pressure. Kohli described it as one of the finest knocks he has seen in a high-pressure chase, especially given the difficult conditions and the physical strain Krunal endured while batting through cramps. Kohli said the innings showed real character because instead of giving in to fatigue, Krunal kept searching for solutions and found a way to influence the game.
Bhuvneshwar echoed that sentiment, praising Krunal’s ability to read the situation intelligently. He also highlighted the calm understanding between batters as RCB built toward the finish, calling the effort match-winning. Krunal, in turn, agreed with Kohli and Bhuvneshwar, saying the six he struck in the crucial phase was the best shot of the game because of the situation. He admitted that the pressure was immense, but the moment gave RCB the lift they needed.
Virat Kohli ended his speech by shifting focus to RCB’s next challenge against Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue on 13 May. He made it clear that this win should serve as a confidence booster, but not a reason to relax. “We had no right to lose five hours to go, we had no right to win, and then we ended up winning. So I think this win’s gonna boost our confidence, and then we come back in what, two days, three days time, and we hunt those two points again,” Kohli said. For RCB, it was more than just two points. It was a statement of belief, character, and collective intent.
