I’m not coming back underprepared – Virat Kohli on how he readied himself for IPL 2026

Virat Kohli returned to action in IPL 2026, taking the field for RCB for a record 19th season. The highest run-scorer for RCB last season started the campaign with similar truculence as RCB made an absolute mockery of what was a formidable 200-plus total on the board. Kohli smashed 69 off just 38 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes.

One of the major talking points ahead of the game was definitely how well Virat Kohli would perform when he took center stage. Returning to T20s after almost a year, there were obvious speculations about his freewheeling scoring. But the former RCB captain once again proved to the world that he is hungrier than ever.

Talking at the post-match presentation, Virat Kohli opened up about being part of T20 cricket after almost a year, stating, “Thanks for such lovely words. It’s good to get back out there. You mentioned T20 cricket, the last game I played was the final last year, but I think the way I batted in the one-day series quite recently really helped me to stay in that same kind of momentum. I wasn’t playing shots that I don’t usually play. So I knew as long as I have the rhythm, and I’ve put enough work physically behind the scenes with my fitness, things should come together nicely.”

Shedding light on his schedule, Virat Kohli stated, “And yeah, tonight was another chance to start strong and build on this. The kind of scheduling that we’ve had over the last 15 years and the amount of cricket I’ve played, for me, there was always a risk of getting burnt out rather than being undercooked. So these breaks help me mentally. I stay fresh, I stay excited. Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%. I’m not coming back underprepared.”

He concluded by stating how the break helps him stay fresh, adding, “In fact, the extra rest helps me mentally freshen up. And as long as you’re physically fit and mentally excited, both those things come together nicely. Then you’re able to contribute to the team’s cause, and that’s what you want to do as a player. You don’t want to just hold on to a spot; you want to keep performing and keep putting in the work for the team.”