Kamal Ghorui
Virat Kohli smashed a quickfire 45 off just 19 balls in RCB’s second intra-squad match in Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026. The veteran batter’s intent and form were praised by RCB’s mentor and batting coach Dinesh Karthik.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) shared a video on social media after their second practice game on Wednesday, where Karthik lauded Kohli’s performance in the warm-up match.“Good game today. The class of Virat came through quite nicely up front, played some lovely shots. The greatness about Virat is that every year he comes up with a certain plan and intent. You saw how he’s really upped what he wants to do. I feel this year he’ll try to get even better. That tells a lot about the person he is. He’s always trying to push his boundaries. And also what he brings in terms of energy to the crowd and the meetings, those are big things, and that’s a big part of Virat’s personality,” Karthik said.
Kohli helped Salt
Earlier, Kohli was also seen in the video bowling to his opening partner Phil Salt, who is going through a rough patch in T20 cricket. Despite Salt’s struggles in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he scored just 130 runs in eight innings, Kohli has shown strong support for his teammate. Kohli’s intent ahead of the new season is clear, and with his experience and current form, he is expected to play a crucial role for the defending champions.RCB had earlier played their first intra-squad match on Monday. In that game, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma scored a 37-ball 81, while skipper Rajat Patidar smashed a blistering 74 off 25 balls. Kohli also contributed with a quick 29 off 12 balls.Batting first, the team led by Venkatesh Iyer posted 234/7, with contributions from Jitesh (81 off 37), Tim David (36 off 14), Iyer (30 off 16), and Kohli (29 off 12). In response, the side led by Krunal Pandya scored 247, with Rajat Patidar (74 off 25), Devdutt Padikkal (63 off 33), and Krunal (58 off 33) delivering standout performances.The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28, with Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.RCB’s upcoming matchesvs CSK – 5 April (Bengaluru)vs RR – 10 April (Guwahati)vs MI – 12 April (Mumbai)
