How Virat Kohli Prepared For The IPL 2026?
An Emotional Night For Virat Kohli As The Chase Master Leads A Dominant RCB Victory.
RCB vs SRH: “I Intend to Give 120%,” says Virat Kohli After Winning IPL Opener
Virat Kohli scored a brilliant 69 not out from just 38 balls in the opening match of IPL 2026 against Hyderabad. After the game, Kohli said he always tries to give 120% when he plays and never enters a match without being prepared.
Thanks to great half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli, the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) started the 19th season of the IPL with a win. In the opening match at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 6 wickets.
Batting first, Hyderabad scored 201 runs for nine wickets in 20 overs. Bengaluru reached the target with four wickets down and 26 balls to spare. During the chase, fans saw a masterclass from RCB star Virat Kohli.
In the very first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kohli proved that he is still at the top of his game by smashing 69 runs. His innings included 5 huge sixes and 5 fours.
Interestingly, this was Kohli’s first T20 match since last year’s IPL final. Despite a 10-month break, his batting looked perfect. After the match, Kohli said that taking breaks helps him stay fresh and consistent.
When asked if being away from T20 cricket for so long made him feel unprepared, Kohli gave a very honest answer. He said:
“With our busy schedule over the last 15 years, the bigger risk for me was ‘burnout’ (mental tiredness), not a lack of practice. These short breaks keep me mentally fresh and excited about the game.”
The 37-year-old Kohli made it clear that he doesn’t just step onto the field to show up. For him, performing well is more important than just holding a spot in the team. He said he works very hard behind the scenes and returns after a break even hungrier to win.
According to Kohli:
“Whenever I return, I come with 120% preparation. I don’t play just to fill a spot, but to help the team win. Getting more rest helped me feel fresh. If you are physically and mentally fit, you can help the team, which is what every player wants to do.”
Kohli also shared that while he hadn’t played T20s for months, playing in a recent One Day series helped him keep his rhythm. He didn’t try any unusual shots and simply trusted his fitness and basic skills.
He also praised Devdutt Padikkal’s 61 runs from 26 balls. Kohli said he wanted to play aggressively at the start, but when he saw Padikkal playing so well, he tried to give him more of the strike.
IPL 2026: A Poor Start for Hyderabad
Hyderabad had a very bad start. RCB bowler Jacob Duffy took early wickets and put Hyderabad under pressure. They lost three wickets for only 30 runs. Abhishek Sharma (7), Travis Head (11), and Nitish Reddy (1) failed to score many runs. However, the captain Ishan (80) and Aniket Verma (43) helped steady the team and cross the 200 mark, but that unfortunately was not enough for batting power like RCB.
Defending champion RCB made the statement convincingly win their first match of the tournament and proved why they are champions.
Today, It Will Be MI vs KKR
The second match of the IPL 2026 will be played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai between the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Let’s look at their probable playing XI
Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma, Quinton De-Kock, Tilak Verma, Surya Kumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Deepak Chahar, Allh Ghazanfar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Probable Playing XI of KKR
Finn Allen, Ajyinka Rahane, Cameroon Green, Angakrish Raghuvanshi, Tejaso Dahiya, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Charif, Vaibhav Arora
