“The picture still remains, my friend.
For years, this line could have been stitched to Virat Kohli’s IPL story. No matter how many runs he scored, no matter how many chases he completed, there was always a feeling that the final act was missing.
Now that story has changed.
There is something different about Kohli heading into IPL 2026.
Read the full story
for the longest time, Kohli carried the IPL as unfinished business. Each season added runs, centuries and moments, but not the only thing that mattered. Trophy. This gap defined the conversations around him, fair or unfair.
No longer.
With Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally winning the IPL title in 2025, this long chase is over. The burden that quietly followed Kohli every April and May has been lifted. And that changes everything.
Because if there’s a pattern cricket fans have learned over the years, it’s this one. A single Kohli is a dangerous Kohli. When not chasing verification or silencing questions, he tends to play his most natural, reckless cricket.
And now, for the first time in years, there is very little left for him to prove.
No unfinished IPL business. No T20I career to manage. No testing obligations. Only ODI cricket at international level and IPL with RCB. A pruned schedule, a clearer mind and a version of Kohli who could play purely on instinct.
This is exactly what makes IPL 2026 a slightly scary prospect for the rest of the league.
NO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE NOW
Kohli’s career has entered a phase where choice has replaced compulsion. Having stepped back from T20Is and Tests, his international calendar is now largely built around ODIs. And he doesn’t let up there either.
124 off 108 against New Zealand in January 2026. 102 off 93 against South Africa just a few weeks before that. Numbers are still elite, hunger clearly intact.
But the difference is in the workload. There is no constant switching between formats, no need to recalibrate the technique every few weeks. This means one thing for the IPL. Brightness.
And when Kohli is clear, he usually doubles down.
He has already made his intention clear to the RCB groupchallenging players to stay ahead of the competition and give more than 100 percent as they look to defend the title. It’s not just about winning anymore, it’s about building something sustainable.
CHASING NEVER BEFORE milestones
(Credit: India Today)
Even if you don’t try too hard, milestones are in store for Kohli this season.
He is just 339 runs short of becoming the first player to reach 9000 IPL runs. A number that once seemed unreal is now almost inevitable.
Then there are sixes. Kohli smashed 291 for RCB and needs just 9 more to reach 300 for the franchise.
And then comes the most unique one. M Chinnaswamy Stadium record. Kohli has 3,618 T20 runs at the venue and needs 382 more to become the first player to reach 4,000 T20 runs on a single ground.
With at least five home games guaranteed and potentially more if RCB go deep again, that record is in play.
THE NUMBERS SHOW THE EVOLUTION
Kohli’s IPL journey over the last few seasons has quietly reflected his greater transformation into a T20 batter.
2025 – Runs: 657 | Strike rate: 144.71
2024 – Running: 741 | Rate: 154.70
2023 – Running: 639 | Strike rate: 139.82
2022 – Running: 341 | Interest rate: 115.99
2021 – Running: 405 | Interest rate: 119.46
2020 – Running: 466 | Rate: 121.35
If you read these numbers carefully, there is a hidden story in them. (Credit: India Today)
The drop in 2022 was real. The strike rate is dropping, dropping and for once Kohli looked slightly out of sync with where the T20 batting was heading. The questions were louder than ever.
But a proper reset followed.
From 2023, there is a clear shift. The strike rate is up again, but more importantly, it remains. Kohli no longer just anchors but dictates the pace. The 2024 season stands out, 741 runs at a 155-run rate, which isn’t just consistency, it’s dominance in an ever-evolving format. (Credit: India Today)
Even in 2025, after winning the title, he did not fall. 657 runs at a 144 plus strike rate shows that hunger never waned even when the bigger target was within reach.
This is not the same Kohli of 2020 or 2021 who was still figuring out his place in the rapidly changing T20 landscape. This is the version that has adapted, added gears and found ways to stay ahead.
And now, with zero baggage, those numbers could go up another level.
CHAMPION, FINALLY FREE
RCB will begin their title defense against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at home. Bengaluru has always been a batting paradise and for someone like Kohli, it is as close to the comfort zone as it gets.
But this time he comes as IPL champion. This changes the lens.
There is no despair, no lingering “what ifs”. It’s just that the player who has done it all has ticked every box and can now afford to play the game on their own terms.
And history suggests that’s when Kohli is most dangerous.
It should be a big problem for the rest of the IPL.
– The end
Published on:
25 March 2026 08:34 IST
