Virat Kohli played a sensational unbeaten 69 in the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2026. Chasing 202 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to an impressive win over SunRisers Hyderabad. The knock prompted former cricketer Ambati Rayudu to heap praise on the batsman, even suggesting that the 37-year-old is nowhere near retirement.
In an interview on ESPNcricinfo, Rayudu said Kohli has five to six years of top-flight cricket left and should even consider a return to red-ball cricket.
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Kohli unleashed a string of exceptional knocks during the chase on Saturday. In the seventh over, he produced a classy straight drive – an aggressive but aesthetically stunning stroke that is already being touted as one of the strokes of the tournament. Later, in the 10th over, a trademark wrist flick sailed over deep square leg for a six with such ease that commentator Ian Bishop called it one of the most amazing sights he had ever seen.
KOHLI NO CLOSE TO RETIREMENT: RAYUDU
In response to the innings, Rayudu surprised the panel by calling for Kohli to return to Test cricket – a sentiment echoed by former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar.
“I don’t think he’s near the end of his career. I think he’s got five or six quality years left in him and as Sanjay (Bangar) and I discussed earlier, he should also be back in Test cricket – hopefully as captain,” Rayudu said on the post-match show.
“We mean it. He is the best red-ball captain I have seen in Indian cricket and the way he is batting now is a loss for Indian cricket,” he added.
The legendary batsman called time on his Test career in 2025 after India won the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli retired without touching the magical number of 10,000 Test runs, a number that most cricket observers thought he deserved.
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Kohli’s unbeaten 69, studded with five fours and five sixes, helped RCB chase down 202 in less than 16 overs. With the win, the defending champions announced their arrival in style.
With a strong squad, RCB will be aiming for a second consecutive title this season – a feat only achieved by Chennai Super Kings (2010–11) and Mumbai Indians (2019–20).
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
March 29, 2026 09:32 IST
