Virat Kohli admitted after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match that he is still not operating at 100% despite playing a major role in the team’s five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. Following the win, Kohli revealed that soreness and an illness had affected him in the days leading into the contest, even though he produced a steady, controlled knock during RCB’s successful chase.
Kohli’s measured knock in RCB’s chase
Chasing 147 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, Kohli struck 49 runs off 34 balls. His innings helped RCB gain momentum early in the pursuit, setting the tone before the finishers wrapped up the job without too much trouble.
While Kohli looked fluent for much of his stay at the crease—finding the boundary with six fours and a six—his post-match assessment painted a picture of an innings played under less-than-ideal physical conditions.
What Kohli said about his fitness
Speaking during the post-match interview on JioHotstar, Kohli said he felt “much better than the last game,” but made it clear he still wasn’t fully fit. He explained that his recovery has been a work in progress, with recent discomfort and illness affecting him leading into the match.
- Kohli stated he was “much better than the last game” in terms of how he was feeling.
- He said he is “still not 100%” and that soreness had been present in the previous match.
- He added that he had been “under the weather for the last four-five days” before the game.
- He described his start as positive and said he was satisfied with his intensity.
- Kohli said he would have liked to continue and finish the game.
“Yeah, much better than the last game. I’m still not 100%. I was sore last game. I was under the weather for the last four-five days. I started off well today. I was happy with my intensity. Would have loved to carry on and finish the game,” Kohli said.
How the innings fit the match context
The knock mattered for RCB without turning into one of those defining, signature innings that completely changes the complexion of a chase. In a relatively modest target, Kohli provided early stability—helping RCB avoid any collapse or panic against an LSG bowling attack that did not place tight scoreboard pressure.
Importantly, Kohli’s fitness comments also add context to the attention that has followed him. There had already been concern around his availability after he did not field in the previous game, with injury-related worries part of the discussion. In this match as well, his remarks suggested that he was monitoring how his body responded just as closely as he was tracking the runs he was scoring.
Pitch assessment and what comes next
Kohli also hinted that batting conditions were not as straightforward as the final margin might indicate, pointing to changes on the surface as the chase moved on.
- Kohli said, “The wicket slowed down.”
- He added that batters have to factor in conditions as play develops.
- He indicated he felt he had read the pitch well, but would have preferred to stay at the crease until the end.
For RCB, the immediate takeaway is that Kohli looked freer than he had in his previous outing and played with clear intent. Yet his own words also underline that, even after another valuable performance in a winning cause, he is still working toward complete sharpness.
