Will Virat Kohli again play as an impact player for RCB vs DC in IPL 2026?

Virat Kohli played as an impact player against Lucknow Super Giants in the previous match of IPL 2026.

Match 26 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 pits the red hot Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against the Delhi Capitals (DC). RCB seem to be in superb form, having lost only one match this season. DC, though, have lost two in a row after a confident start.

Both teams will clash in an afternoon fixture on April 18, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It will be a special outing for RCB as they will sport the green jersey to support their annual “Go Green Initiative”.

Will Virat Kohli play as an impact player for RCB vs DC in IPL 2026?

Virat Kohli had suffered an ankle injury during RCB’s clash against Mumbai Indians (MI). On a track where the rest of the RCB batters seemed to be playing in a different gear, Kohli was batting at a lower strike rate, which he later attributed to him not being 100% fit.

For the first time since the impact player was introduced in the IPL, Virat Kohli played as an impact player against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He did not take the field in the first innings when LSG was batting, and later returned to open alongside Phil Salt during RCB’s chase.

Kohli returned to form though, scoring a measured 49 runs off 34 balls to guide his team to a convincing win on a tricky pitch.

Giving an update on himself after the match concluded, Kohli said:

“I’m still not 100%. My knee was a bit sore last game. Even health-wise, I’ve been under the weather for four or five days now. So, just getting back up to my best. I started off well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off.”

Hours ahead of the RCB vs DC match, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood too provided a huge update on Kohli’s fitness:

“He’ll definitely play, it’s just about how much he can contribute in the field. He brings great energy and is one of our best fielders, so we’d love to have him fully out there. Knowing him, he’s not one to sit back, he always wants to be involved and make an impact,” the Aussie said.

Given how important Kohli is to RCB’s future in the tournament, it is unlikely that the management will risk fielding him until Kohli is at his absolute best. One expects Kohli to play as an impact player for atleast one more match, as a precautionary measure.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.