Virat Kohli’s impact on Royal Challengers Bengaluru goes far beyond just the mountain of runs he scores every season, and RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat admitted the franchise should never take the superstar batter for granted. Bobat said Kohli’s unmatched intensity, leadership and standards continue to shape the entire dressing room environment during RCB’s IPL 2026 title defence campaign.
Virat Kohli has once again been the driving force behind RCB’s run to the IPL 2026 playoffs. Speaking to Sports Today, India Today’s sister channel, Bobat explained why Kohli’s value to the franchise cannot simply be measured through statistics alone.
“Firstly, we shouldn’t take Virat’s performances for granted,” Bobat said.
“Yet again, he’s gone past 500 runs in a season. If Virat Kohli isn’t there, there are 500 to 700 runs you’ve got to replace every year.”
Bobat, however, insisted Kohli’s influence inside the dressing room remains even more important than the runs he delivers every season.
“But beyond the runs, there are so many other things he gives you,” Bobat added.
“The thing I admire most is his intensity. I feel like I’m an intense character, but he’s off the charts.”
The RCB director also explained how Kohli’s standards perfectly align with the culture the management has tried building under Andy Flower since the franchise finally ended its 18-year IPL title drought in 2025.
“He has incredibly high standards, which align with myself and Andy,” Bobat said.
“Whether it’s how we practice, prepare, play or even conduct ourselves socially as a group, the standards are really high.”
Bobat also called Kohli one of the strongest leadership figures inside the RCB environment regardless of captaincy titles.
“He’s a leader in so many ways and one of the strongest influences in the environment,” he added.
Kohli’s influence has once again become central to RCB’s campaign this season as the defending champions successfully secured another playoff berth. At a stage where title-winning sides often struggle with complacency or the usual “defending champions hangover”, Kohli has instead pushed RCB forward with another vintage season.
The senior batter has repeatedly delivered in pressure moments throughout IPL 2026, including his unbeaten 105 off 60 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders after entering the match on the back of consecutive ducks. His 58 against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala also helped RCB post a massive 222-run total that confirmed their playoff qualification.
HOW HAS VIRAT KOHLI’S IPL 2026 BEEN LIKE?
Honestly, Kohli’s IPL 2026 has almost looked like a reminder that he still refuses to slow down.
Across 13 matches so far, the RCB opener has smashed 542 runs at an average of 54.20 and a blistering strike rate of 164.74 while combining his usual consistency with a far more aggressive batting approach.
This season has also seen Kohli break multiple historic records.
During his century against KKR in Raipur, Kohli became the fastest batter in the world to complete 14,000 T20 runs and also the first Indian cricketer to reach the landmark. The knock was also his ninth IPL century, extending his own all-time tournament record.
Kohli additionally became the first player in IPL history to register 500-plus runs in nine different seasons and also extended his incredible consistency streak to 12 IPL seasons with more than 400 runs.
More importantly for RCB though, Kohli’s runs have directly translated into results again.
His aggressive shift at the top of the order has allowed RCB to maximise their batting resources far more effectively during chases and high-scoring games. Earlier in his IPL career, Kohli was often criticised for batting too deep and slowing down innings. But in 2026, he has completely changed gears without sacrificing consistency.
And inside RCB, that seems to matter just as much as the numbers themselves.
Because for this franchise, Kohli is no longer only the batter scoring runs. He remains the emotional centre of the dressing room, the standard-setter at training and the biggest cultural influence inside the squad.
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