Virat Kohli sends STRONG warning to RCB teammate ahead of IPL 2026, says, ‘Things will be…’

Star India cricketer Virat Kohli warns Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate of a tougher challenge in IPL 2026 as the defending champions gear up to retain their title

IPL 2026, Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, RCB, RCB vs SRH, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Andy Flower, Mo Bobat, Yash Dayal, Virat Kohli's RCB, Rajat Patidar, — Virat Kohli warns RCB teammate ahead of IPL 2026 (Source: X)

IPL 2026: The 19th edition of IPL 2026 is all set to commence on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) locking horns against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Star India batter Virat Kohli has kicked off his preparations ahead of the season opener, with clips of his explosive hitting in training creating a buzz among fans.

Coming off three successive seasons with 600-plus runs, Kohli will be keen to continue his impressive form for RCB eyeing more records and milestones.

“We worked really hard over the last two to three seasons to achieve what we did last year, and it’s only going to get tougher because the other teams are going to come hard at us,” Kohli said.

“We don’t waste these days. We stay ahead. So, switch on now. Let’s not waste even a minute of every session we are part of. We must give our 120% for these two and a half months. I can see from everyone’s faces that we are excited enough to be challengers.”

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𝑫𝒂𝒚 1️⃣. 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆 🔛. ❤️‍🔥
Head Coach Andy Flower’s welcome to the new members of the squad, and Virat’s pep talk in the first practice session of #IPL2026 at ನಮ್ಮ Chinnaswamy. 👊
Watch more on @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold Diaries. 🎥#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/ee8mPnIgWb
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 20, 2026

RCB won their maiden IPL title after a wait of 17 years

RCB had to wait 17 years to win their maiden title despite having world-class players. However, a shift in approach under head coach Andy Flower and director of cricket Mo Bobat -focusing on balance and a more methodical T20 strategy over star power. The change paid off as RCB finally clinched their maiden title in 2025, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the final in Ahmedabad.

Ahead of the new season, head coach Andy Flower opened the session by greeting the new additions to the squad. However, pacer Yash Dayal was notably absent, as he is currently dealing with serious allegations, including sexual harassment and physical abuse, one of which reportedly involves a minor.

“We had an interesting auction. I think we’ve improved our squad, to be quite frank. We brought in some great new additions. Integrating those players into the RCB way, alongside some of the established names led by Virat and Rajat, is an exciting part of building a new team together,” Flower said.

Virat Kohli, who has amassed a total of 8,661 runs across 267 matches, which features eight centuries and 63 fifties, will be looking to achieve another milestone – becoming the first player in IPL history to surpass the 9,000-run mark.

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The Times Of Bengal