Virat Kohli switches to IPL mode: Training post goes viral
What's the story
Veteran Indian superstar Virat Kohli has started preparing for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain shared a video of himself training in the nets on Instagram. The clip quickly went viral, with fans expressing their excitement for the tournament. For the first time, RCB will enter the tournament as the defending champions.
Performance record
Kohli's stellar IPL career
Kohli's IPL career has been nothing short of phenomenal. He is the tournament's highest run-scorer In 267 matches, all for RCB, the 37-year-old has hammered 8,661 runs at an average of 39.54. His strike rate reads 132.85. Kohli owns 8 tons, the most in IPL history. His tally also includes 63 half-centuries. In the last edition alone, he scored a whopping 657 runs from 15 matches at an average of nearly 55 and a strike rate of 144.71.
Tournament schedule
IPL 2026 season to begin on March 28
Star Sports recently announced that the IPL 2026 season will officially begin on March 28. However, the fixtures for this edition of the tournament are yet to be revealed. As mentioned, RCB are the defending champions as they beat Punjab Kings by six runs in last year's final held in Ahmedabad.
Venue details
RCB to play five home matches in Bengaluru
Earlier, Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary Santosh Menon recently announced that M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of RCB's IPL 2026 home matches. The venue, earlier under fire for the 2025 stampede incident, will also host the final and one of the playoff games in this tournament. However, two other home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.