Virat Kohli once again proved he’s built for the biggest moments as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets to lift the IPL 2026 trophy. Led by Rajat Patidar, the Bengaluru franchise captured its second league title in two years after a campaign that left rivals struggling to match their intensity. Kohli was the defining force in the final, remaining unbeaten on 75 to steer his team to a comfortable run chase, while his calm, winning approach at 37 continued to draw widespread admiration.
International cricket coverage also highlighted Kohli’s impact as the franchise celebrated its second championship. One report pointed to the atmosphere at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where supporters flooded the ground with Kohli-themed shirts featuring his iconic number 18. The piece noted that Kohli, who is set to turn 38 later this year, delivered his quickest IPL half-century in a setting as high-pressure as it gets—showing there is still plenty in his batting reservoir.
Another media outlet similarly praised the former India captain’s match-winning display, underlining how he repeatedly rises to the occasion in a chase. A separate headline from Australian cricket coverage went further, describing the final as another iconic Kohli chapter and linking the dominance in the stands to his continued authority in IPL knockout cricket.
Kohli’s 75* powers Bengaluru’s chase
- At the Narendra Modi Stadium, Kohli struck 75 not out off 42 balls to anchor Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s pursuit of the title-winning target.
- His innings featured nine boundaries and three maximums, setting the tone for a chase of 156.
- RCB completed the required runs to retain the championship at the same venue where they had won in 2025.
- The final margin was a five-wicket win, with Kohli finishing the chase without losing his wicket.
AB de Villiers, a batting stalwart for RCB, praised Kohli’s innings in emphatic terms, saying the middle-order leader knows exactly how to regulate a chase from ball one and then close it out when the finish is due. Speaking on JioHotstar, de Villiers suggested that once Kohli is removed from the chasing equation, the complexion of the innings changes—especially as Gujarat’s bowlers, including Rashid Khan, were capable of delivering challenging spells. He also commented that the Titans fed Kohli into his preferred areas early, noting that several deliveries landed around the leg side during the first 20 to 30 runs.
De Villiers added that when elite batters receive that kind of start, they can quickly turn a chase one-sided. Once Kohli began to find rhythm, the game shifted decisively, and the former South African captain called it “one-way traffic” from that point onward. He concluded by describing it as phenomenal to watch Kohli stay at the crease through the decisive phases and then handle the last moments with authority, scoring the winning runs to seal another RCB title.
