NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli once again stood at the front of the chase, striking a 34-ball 49 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru wrapped up a five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Set a target of 147, RCB got home with 15.1 overs to spare, and Kohli’s early authority helped settle the innings quickly.
The knock, however, came with a candid reality check on his fitness. After the game, Kohli said he is still managing discomfort and has not yet found his full rhythm, noting, “Much better than the last game. I’m still not 100%. My knee was a bit sore last game. Even health-wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days now.” He added that he believes he is “not even 10% yet” of where he wants to be in terms of form and conditioning.
Quick facts
- Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants (IPL 2026)
- Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
- Result: RCB won by five wickets
- Chase: RCB reached 147 in 15.1 overs
- Kohli’s knock: 34 balls, 49 runs (including six fours and one six)
- Tournament run tally for Kohli: 228 runs; in the Orange Cap race
- Fitness note from Kohli: knee soreness in the previous game and illness for four or five days; “not even 10% yet” of desired fitness/rhythm
Kohli’s fluent outing featured six boundaries and a maximum, and it pushed his season aggregate to 228 runs—keeping him firmly involved in the hunt for the Orange Cap. The captain’s left knee was also seen strapped heavily during training, underscoring that the performance is being delivered while he continues to work through physical constraints.
“Intensity was good, but I should have finished it”
While Kohli was pleased with the way he got going, he admitted he fell short of the chance to take the chase to the finish line himself. “I started off well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off,” he said, reflecting on how the early momentum could have been converted into a longer stay at the crease.
He also pointed to the pitch as a factor in the chase. “Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well. The pitch slowed down considerably and I just wanted to keep going in the same manner,” Kohli said, explaining that his intent was to maintain a consistent approach as the surface got harder to bat on.
Turning to the leadership and batting mindset around him, Kohli praised RCB captain Rajat Patidar for his decisiveness. He described Patidar as someone who focuses on a bowler’s rhythm—saying he gauges “the bowler’s heart rate rather than the situation”—and highlighted how that translates into a fearless style of batting from the top and beyond.
RCB’s depth and adaptability
Kohli stressed that RCB’s batting unit is built for flexibility, with depth that can change the tempo even after early setbacks. He specifically credited the impact players who can accelerate quickly once they arrive. “It looks intimidating if you have Romario and Tim walking in even after five down. These guys can get you 50 runs in four overs,” Kohli said, underlining how the batting lineup keeps the pressure on throughout the innings.
As the season moves into its second half, Kohli framed adaptability as the deciding factor when matches tighten. “When pressure kicks in, that’s when the smarts of the game have to be applied. Whoever adapts best will go a long way,” he added, linking RCB’s current form to how well they handle changing match conditions.
