Bengaluru: Indian batting icon Virat Kohli has set a high bar for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as they begin their journey as defending champions for the 2026 IPL season. Addressing the squad during their first practice session at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli urged his teammates to remain “switched on” and avoid complacency following their historic title win in his 18th season with the franchise. He emphasized that the challenge of a title defence is significantly harder, as rival teams will be more aggressive in their pursuit to dethrone the champions.
“We worked really hard over the last two to three seasons to achieve what we did last year,” Kohli stated, as per an official team release. He challenged the group to give “120 per cent” for the next two and a half months, insisting that not a single minute of any training session should be wasted. The superstar, who finally secured his elusive IPL trophy last year, appears focused on maintaining the intensity required to become back-to-back winners in a league known for its narrow margins.
The training camp also served as an integration period for a reinforced RCB squad. Head Coach Andy Flower welcomed several new faces, including Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, and emerging talents like Mangesh Yadav and Jordan Cox. Flower noted that the auction had improved the squad’s depth and expressed pride in the “star” now emblazoned on the team’s jersey—a symbol of their championship status. However, he echoed Kohli’s sentiment by reminding the players that the previous season is now in the past.
RCB is scheduled to kick off their 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 on their home turf in Bengaluru. With the M. Chinnaswamy outfield described as “lush and green” by the coaching staff, the team is looking to leverage home advantage to build early momentum. The presence of Under-19 World Cup winners Kanishk Chouhan and Vihaan Malhotra in the setup further highlights the franchise’s blend of legendary experience and youthful energy heading into the new season.
