'Hunger never dies': Virat Kohli to play for RCB till 2030, says franchise CEO

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) CEO Rajesh Menon said Virat Kohli’s hunger for success remains as strong as ever and backed him to continue representing the franchise until at least 2030. Menon said Kohli should play for another three to four years while praising the legendary batsman for his unwavering commitment to the franchise he has called home since the inception of the Premier League (PL) in 2008.

Kohli’s association with RCB is one of the most enduring and notable player-franchise partnerships in world cricket. After representing the Bengaluru side in every season of the IPL, he became the face of the franchise.

He rewrote the record books over the years and became the highest run scorer in IPL history with 9,336 runs from 283 matches. lately played a key role in helping RCB successfully defend the IPL titlefurther cementing his legacy as one of the franchise’s greatest players.

“RCB and Virat are different sides of the same coin. He has been a constant factor for RCB all along. We didn’t see him not being a part of RCB even after he left his cricket career. We have to figure it out. That means next three four years, I’m sure he will play… at least four years,” Menon told CNBC TV18.

“He is fit, the hunger will never die. You have seen him bring energy, runs, attitude in this IPL season. Everything was there. Three four years, absolutely no problem,” RCB CEO said.

VIRAT KOHLI IS GETTING HUNGRIER

The former Indian captain has produced some memorable seasons for RCB over the years. In 2016, he enjoyed what is widely regarded as one of the greatest batting campaigns in IPL history, amassing a record 973 runs. He recently won the Orange Cap in 2024 after scoring 741 runs and followed it up with another stellar season in 2025, amassing 657 runs at an average of 54.75 as RCB finally ended their long wait for the IPL title.

Kohli once again played a key role in RCB’s successful IPL 2026 campaign. The veteran batsman was the franchise’s most reliable player throughout the season, finishing as the team’s top scorer with 675 runs.

He saved the best for the biggest occasion. In the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans, Kohli anchored RCB’s run chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls to make the fastest fifty of his IPL career. The 37-year-old remained unbeaten till the end and fittingly sealed victory by six as RCB beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets to clinch their second consecutive IPL title.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

19 Jun 2026 15:47 IST