RCB should never take Virat Kohli for granted: Mo Bobat on star's impact away from runs

Virat Kohli’s impact on Royal Challengers Bengaluru goes far beyond the mountain of runs he scores every season and RCB director of cricket Mo Bobat admitted the franchise should never take the superstar batter for granted. Bobat said Kohli’s unmatched intensity, leadership and standards continue to shape the entire dressing room environment during RCB’s IPL 2026 title defense campaign.

Virat Kohli has once again been the driving force behind RCB’s run to the playoffs of IPL 2026. Speaking to Sports Today, India Today’s sister channel, Bobat explained why Kohli’s value to the franchise cannot simply be measured through statistics alone.

“Firstly, we should not take Virat’s performances for granted,” Bobat said.

“He’s got 500 runs in a season again. If Virat Kohli is not there, you have to replace 500 to 700 runs every year.”

However, Bobat insisted that Kohli’s influence in the dressing room remains even more important than the runs he produces each season.

“But besides the runs, there’s a lot of other things he gives you,” Bobat added.

“I admire his intensity the most. I feel like I’m an intense character, but he’s off the charts.”

The RCB director also explained how Kohli’s standards are perfectly in line with the culture the management has been trying to build under Andy Flower since the franchise ended its 18-year IPL run for good in 2025.

“He has incredibly high standards that align with me and Andy,” Bobat said.

“Whether it’s how we practice, prepare, play or even behave socially as a group, the standards are really high.”

Bobat also identified Kohli as one of the strongest leaders in the RCB environment regardless of captaincy titles.

“It is a leader in many ways and one of the strongest environmental influences,” he added.

Kohli’s influence has once again been central to RCB’s campaign this season as the defending champions successfully secured another place in the play-offs. At a stage when winning sides often struggle with complacency or the usual ‘defending champions’ hangover’, Kohli instead took RCB forward with another vintage season.

The senior batsman has repeatedly played in pressure moments during IPL 2026, including his unbeaten 105 off 60 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders after entering the match on the back of back-to-back ducks. His 58 against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala also helped RCB post a mammoth total of 222 runs that confirmed their qualification for the playoffs.

HOW WAS VIRAT KOHLI’S IPL 2026?

Frankly, Kohli’s IPL 2026 almost looked like a reminder that he still refuses to slow down.

In 13 matches so far, the RCB opener has smashed 542 runs at an average of 54.20 and a blistering strike rate of 164.74, combining his usual consistency with much more aggressive batting.

Kohli also broke several all-time records this season.

During his century against KKR in Raipur, Kohli became the fastest batsman in the world to complete 14,000 T20 runs and also the first Indian cricketer to reach the milestone. The knock was also his ninth IPL century, extending his own all-time tournament record.

Additionally, Kohli became the first player in IPL history to register more than 500 runs in nine different seasons and also extended his streak of incredible consistency to 12 IPL seasons with more than 400 runs.

But more importantly for RCB, Kohli’s runs have once again translated directly into results.

His aggressive push at the top of the order has allowed RCB to maximize their batting resources much more effectively during chases and high-scoring games. Earlier in his IPL career, Kohli was often criticized for batting too deep and slowing his innings. But in 2026, he completely shifted gears without sacrificing consistency.

And inside RCB, that seems to matter as much as the numbers themselves.

Because for this franchise, Kohli is no longer just a run scoring batter. He remains the emotional center of the dressing room, the standard-setter in training and the biggest cultural influence in the team.

– The end

Issued by:

Debodinna Chakraborty

Published on:

20 May 2026 19:10 IST