Virat Kohli has been part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru since the very beginning of the IPL in 2008, and over the years, he has seen every possible phase of the franchise — from finishing at the bottom of the table to coming close in the finals and finally lifting the trophy. That long journey has made this season especially meaningful, because RCB are now playing as defending champions for the first time in their history.
The Bengaluru side has made a strong start to IPL 2026. They opened with a high-scoring win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, slipped briefly against Rajasthan Royals, and then bounced back strongly. On Wednesday night, they added their fourth win of the season, a result that also pushed them to the top of the points table. Chasing a modest target of 147, RCB got the job done in just 15.1 overs to complete a five-wicket victory.
Even so, Kohli was not fully satisfied with the way the chase unfolded. RCB looked in complete control at 66 for 1, but a sudden middle-order wobble saw them slide to 122 for 5, losing four wickets for just 56 runs. It did not affect the outcome, but it was the kind of collapse Kohli clearly wanted to avoid.
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The former RCB captain, who top-scored with 49 off 34 balls, said he would have preferred a calmer finish. Speaking in a video shared by the franchise, he admitted that collapses are never ideal, even in a winning chase.
“From a personal perspective and also from a batting group perspective, I think I would have liked to see us finish with two or three down,” Kohli said. “I don’t like seeing collapses, but bloody well done.”
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Kohli also praised Romario Shepherd for his unbeaten 14 off 8 balls, calling it a useful finishing effort. With a touch of humour, he added that Krunal Pandya is the only batter yet to get some time in the middle this season, hinting that everyone in the squad will eventually get a chance to contribute.
