Veteran batter Virat Kohli hit the practice nets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. During his first training session at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the veteran batter was nearly cleaned up by a lethal yorker delivered by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter the upcoming tournament as defending champions. They won their maiden title under Rajat Patidar last season. The Bengaluru-based franchise team will kick off their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru on Saturday, March 28, in the season opener.
Watch: Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Deadly Yorker Almost Dismisses Virat Kohli in Practice
A viral video captured Bhuvneshwar Kumar producing a stunning yorker against Virat Kohli during training. The delivery nearly cleaned up Kohli in an intense session.
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This yorker from Bhuvneshwar Kumar completely beat Virat Kohli.🫡
In the last two years, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s name has gone a bit down, but maybe in this IPL he will definitely do something special.🙌 pic.twitter.com/L0bF9BsR0Z
— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) March 19, 2026
RCB will hope he delivers such yorkers at the death in IPL 2026. The right-arm pacer joined RCB ahead of IPL 2025 and picked up 17 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 28.41 and an economy of 9.29.
Virat Kohli Enters IPL 2026 in Top Form Despite Limited Match Practice
Virat Kohli currently plays only ODI cricket for India, which has raised some concerns about his match practice ahead of IPL 2026. However, the veteran batter arrives at the tournament in excellent form. He has adapted his game well despite limited appearances in the shortest format.
Kohli was outstanding in the recent ODI series against South Africa, where he scored 302 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 117.05, including two centuries and a fifty. He carried that momentum into the series against New Zealand, adding 240 runs at a strike rate of 105.26, with a century and a half-century.
The 37-year-old has shown a more aggressive and modern approach, once again proving his ability to adjust quickly. RCB will be banking on Kohli to carry this form into IPL 2026 and play a crucial role at the top of the order.
Virat Kohli Eyes Major Milestones After Leading RCB to IPL 2025 Title
Virat Kohli played a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL 2025 title win, finishing as their leading run-scorer. He amassed 657 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 144.71. Kohli consistently provided strong starts at the top and anchored the batting lineup throughout the campaign.
Kohli’s numbers have been outstanding since his debut in 2008. He has scored 8,661 runs in 267 matches at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 132.85, including eight centuries and 63 fifties. His consistency across seasons has made him the backbone of the franchise.
Heading into IPL 2026, Kohli is on the verge of major milestones. He is closing in on the 9,000-run mark in IPL history and could also become the first player to reach 10,000 T20 runs for a single franchise. RCB will once again depend heavily on his form at the top.
