Exactly a year after announcing his Test retirement and stepping away from India’s traditional whites, Virat Kohli has underlined that his competitive fire is far from extinguished. In IPL 2026, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter struck an unbeaten century to guide RCB comfortably through their chase against KKR, looking as sharp as ever despite being 37. The timing was still exacting, and the way he accelerated through the innings carried the same intensity that has defined his best years.
Kohli’s message after steering RCB back to the summit
After helping Bengaluru return to the top of the table, Kohli spoke about why batting still feels effortless to him—at least from the inside. He framed it as a lifelong devotion rather than a job that has to be “managed”, and stressed that the privilege of playing at the highest level, alongside the world’s leading players, continues to drive him.
“Well, I just love batting, even after all this. You know, that’s my core feeling. Look, what an honour to be playing at this level. What an honour to be competing with the very best in the world still,” Kohli said following his match-winning knock in Raipur.
He added that the sport remains central to who he is, whether he is contributing with the bat or doing his bit in the field. “This is all I’ve done all my life. Cricket is absolutely something that I truly love. And I just give my heart and soul out there on the field, whether I’m fielding or batting, because it’s going to finish one day,” he explained.
With this form, Kohli is also in line for a fourth straight IPL season of 500-plus runs—an achievement only two other players have managed in the competition. In his earlier peak years, he had fallen short of this specific consistency, making the present stretch even more notable.
Still chasing improvement beyond milestones
Kohli’s current workload also comes with a broader context. The absence of Test cricket has been keenly felt, and even though his red-ball numbers have softened compared to the ferocity of his earlier era, India have continued to miss his presence in that format. Having already retired from T20 internationals, he remains involved in ODI cricket, where he has been enjoying one of the strongest phases of his long career.
Asked how he keeps raising his standards, Kohli pointed to mindset and role clarity within the RCB environment. He suggested that leadership doesn’t disappear—he is still clearly a guiding presence—but without the constant pressure of captaincy, he can let his natural energy and personality come forward more freely.
“And I want to make the most of every day that I’m on the field and just enjoy myself and have a lot of fun and look forward to a pressure situation, look forward to scenarios where I’m feeling a bit of heat,” Kohli said. “And then I challenge myself to say, you know what, just go for it. And when you cross the line, it makes you a better player. And sport, as you know, teaches you a lot as a person as well. So you build your character slowly and surely when you keep performing under pressure.”
Why the chase still brings out the best in him
For Kohli, even all the talk about roles and runs settles down the moment he walks in with the bat. The most telling part of his game often shows up during difficult chases—especially ones that demand patience at the start while still punishing loose deliveries. In innings like the one he played, with a target of 193 on a pitch offering something for bowlers and with a couple of early wickets swinging the momentum, Kohli repeatedly looks like he is playing with a plan of his own.
His approach tends to be clean and calculated: taking a quick single when needed, finding a couple in the gaps, and then converting the right ball into a boundary. Over time, the timing becomes sharper, and the confidence to lift the strike beyond the infield grows. That combination—measured control followed by sudden impact—is what still makes the experience special for him.
“And for me, even after all these years and numbers and whatever you said, it’s still the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. And that joy is still there. And it’s all God’s grace. And I’m very thankful and grateful,” Kohli concluded, with his focus now turning to pushing RCB toward back-to-back wins in the IPL.
