‘He’s a leader’: Krunal Pandya reveals Virat Kohli’s influence on RCB dressing room

Image Credit: BCCI/IPL/RCB NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s mere presence in the dressing room is enough to raise the standards. His intensity, work ethic and never-say-die winning attitude made him the heart of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and IPL 2026 was no different. Kohli played a key role in RCB’s second consecutive IPL triumph, finishing as the franchise’s highest run-scorer and fourth highest overall in the tournament. The batting superstar scored 675 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.85, including a match-winning 75 in the final against Gujarat Titans. RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya, who was part of the franchise’s title-winning campaigns in 2025 and 2026, spoke at length about Kohli’s impact on the team and his own career during an interaction as guest sports editor at The Tech Word News.Asked about Kohli’s influence on the group, especially in terms of fitness and motivation, Krunal said the former Indian captain inspires everyone simply by the way he carries himself.“He leads by example. The hunger he still has to perform and win is inspiring. Sometimes people get complacent after one or two wins, but then you see someone who has made excellence a habit. You can still see his love for the game. If that love and hunger remains constant, the sky’s the limit.”Krunal pointed to Kohli’s response to adversity during IPL 2026 as an example of the championship mindset that defined his career.“After 11 games this season he had two ducks and people asked me if we were worried. I told them I was excited. He had two clean sheets and then he went out and scored a match-winning hundred. He inspires people in and out of the dressing room with his actions,” he said.Kohli’s competitive spirit and obsession with winning also served as a source of personal inspiration for Krunal.Asked if Kohli had influenced him personally, the all-rounder said, “One hundred percent. I am also someone who plays aggressive cricket and likes to win. That doesn’t mean I am a graceful loser, but I like to win.”“We have similarities in the way we approach the game. I’ve spent a lot of time with him over the years. Sharing the locker room with him was special. He’s a leader in every sense of the word. There’s no doubt about that,” he said.