Virat Kohli, the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), will begin his title defense in the IPL 2026 season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru. Despite the anticipation for a grand start, the atmosphere is somber due to the tragic stampede incident that claimed the lives of 11 fans outside the stadium on June 4.
In his previous encounters with SRH, Kohli has scored 805 runs in 24 innings with an average of 36.59 and a strike rate of 141.97. He has recorded five fifties and a century against them but also suffered three ducks. Kohli’s form has been promising as he recently scored a quick 45 in an intra-squad practice game.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the opener will take place, has seen Kohli perform well against SRH, accumulating 333 runs in eight matches. Known for his consistency and determination, Kohli is the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history with 8661 runs in 267 matches. RCB retained him for a whopping ₹21 Crore ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Kohli’s leadership and performance will be crucial for RCB’s success in the upcoming season.
Follow Franchise Cricket for more IPL news.
