How has Virat Kohli performed in RCB's opening matches in IPL?
Virat Kohli will play for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play the opening game of the Indian Premier League 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Both sides will clash at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28.
As per the tradition in IPL, the defending champions play the opening game of the next year’s edition. RCB defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final of the previous edition to win their maiden title in the tournament’s history.
Now, they have the challenging task of defending their title. Virat Kohli will be a key batter for the side in IPL 2026, who also played a pivotal role in the team’s journey to the title last season.
With 657 runs in 15 games at a spectacular average of 54.75 and strike rate of 144.71, Kohli was the highest run-scorer for RCB in IPL 2025. Overall, he was the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament. He also hammered eight half-centuries, with a highest score of an unbeaten 73 runs.
Kohli has performed well in ODIs in the last few months. The right-handed batter last featured in the ODI series against New Zealand in January, where he slammed a half-century and a century across three games.
The Rajat Patidar & Co. are set to play the tournament opener against SRH, and Kohli will be in the spotlight during the clash. Many fans will be thrilled to watch him take the field after a long time and expect him to deliver a superb batting show.
RCB also played the first game of the tournament last season, where Kohli scored a match-winning half-century. Below is Virat Kohli’s complete record in RCB’s opening games in IPL over the years.
Virat Kohli’s record in RCB’s opening matches in IPL
| IPL Season | Match | Virat Kohli’s score | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2008 | RCB vs KKR | 1 run | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | KKR won by 140 runs |
| IPL 2017 | SRH vs RCB | Did not play | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | SRH won by 35 runs |
| IPL 2019 | CSK vs RCB | 6 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium | CSK won by 7 wickets |
| IPL 2021 | RCB vs MI | 33 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium | RCB won by 2 wickets |
| IPL 2024 | CSK vs RCB | 21 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium | CSK won by 6 wickets |
| IPL 2025 | KKR vs RCB | 59* runs | Eden Gardens Stadium | RCB won by 7 wickets |
Hence, Kohli has scored 120 runs at a batting average of 30.0 in RCB’s five opening matches in the IPL.
He has only scored one half-century across five innings. Therefore, Kohli is not known to start on a high note, but he often gains momentum as the tournament progresses.
Virat Kohli will play for which team in IPL 2026?
Kohli will play for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026.
Who will clash in the opening game of IPL 2026?
RCB and SRH will clash in the opening game of IPL 2026 on March 28.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.