Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli’s evolving mindset in IPL 2026 has played a major role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s rise to the top end of the points table. Bengaluru are currently sitting second, having lost only two matches so far. While Manjrekar described Kohli’s adjustment as being “more mental than technical,” he also pointed to what he thinks is the real driver behind the change—an explanation that could invite debate.
Kohli has long been known as an anchor batter in T20 cricket. But as the game’s balance keeps shifting, his reduced impact in the IPL drew heavy scrutiny. During the 2021 and 2022 editions, his strike rates fell to 119.47 and 115.99, sparking widespread criticism and prompting some to question both his spot in the RCB setup and his place in India’s plans at the time.
After that phase, Kohli’s numbers picked up sharply. He became the first batter in IPL history to reach 9,000 runs, and in IPL 2024 his strike rate climbed to 154.69. The next season saw a small dip to 144.71, but in IPL 2026 he has been scoring at his most effective strike rate yet, currently 162.50.
Speaking to Sportstar, Manjrekar said the key difference in Kohli’s batting is primarily psychological. “You’re seeing Virat Kohli bat differently… nothing technical has changed. It’s only that he’s decided that he’s going to bat quicker,” he said.
The former India cricketer then mapped out how that shift connects to RCB’s batting structure. Earlier, Kohli’s approach leaned heavily on rotating the strike and taking the innings deep—something Manjrekar linked to Bengaluru’s limited options in the lower order. Now, he feels Kohli trusts his teammates more, which has allowed him to operate with greater freedom at the top and accelerate during the powerplay.
Manjrekar suggested that this has helped RCB develop into a more complete batting unit. “He wanted to extend his innings and play longer because he felt he had to be the one batting through most of it and didn’t quite trust the batters down the order,” Manjrekar said. “RCB changed when Virat Kohli at the top started batting a little quicker and didn’t make himself almost indispensable. That’s when the others also blossomed under him.”
He added, while acknowledging it may draw criticism, that the underlying reason for Kohli’s change could be the pressure and doubt generated by his earlier IPL strike-rate concerns. “This is, again, going to rile people up. We have seen Virat Kohli bat differently and superbly this season, at a strike rate of 140–150. This is the same Virat Kohli; nothing has changed,” Manjrekar said. “It’s only that he has decided to bat quicker. And why has he decided that? Because he could see the pressure building and people talking about him batting a little too slowly.”
In IPL 2026, Kohli has already amassed 351 runs and is emerging as a strong candidate for the Orange Cap.
