Why IPL 2026 could unleash Virat Kohli’s most dangerous version yet
Virat Kohli, IPL's leading run-scorer, finally achieved his dream of winning the IPL trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025. Now, unburdened by expectations after relinquishing captaincy, he enters IPL 2026 with a rare sense of freedom, potentially unleashing his most dangerous form yet.
New Delhi: Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, and his consistency over the years has firmly established him as one of the greatest the tournament has ever witnessed. After years of near misses, Kohli finally fulfilled his long-standing dream of lifting the IPL trophy in 2025 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, ending an 18-year wait. Kohli had already won major ICC titles, ICC U19 World Cup, ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC T20 World Cup, and ICC Champions Trophy, and he completed his trophy cabinet with the IPL title last year.
Now, heading into IPL 2026, he enters the season with a rare sense of freedom. He may not have anything left to prove as a batter or to the RCB fans. But now, unburdened by the pressure of expectations, he can simply go out and play his natural game, just as he has done in the past.
In 2021, when Kohli relinquished his RCB captaincy, he had said on RCB's podcast diaries. "I captained India for 7–8 years and RCB for nine. There were expectations of me as a batter every single game.
I never felt the attention was off me. If not captaincy, it was my batting. I was exposed to it 24x7.
Continue to the original source for the full article.