Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli delivered yet another commanding performance with a 34-ball 49 to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comfortable five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Chasing 147, RCB cruised home in 15.1 overs, with Kohli once again setting the tone at the top.Despite the match-winning knock, Kohli made a striking admission about his physical condition. “Much better than the last game. 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,” he said after the match, adding a stark reflection on his current state: he is “not even 10% yet” of where he wants to be in terms of fitness and rhythm.The former India captain, who was seen training with heavy strapping on his left knee, struck six fours and a six in another fluent innings that took his tournament tally to 228 runs, putting him in the Orange Cap race.‘Intensity was good, but I should have finished it’Kohli said he was pleased with his start but admitted he missed an opportunity to close out the chase himself. “I started off well today, so I was happy with my intensity. Again, would have liked to carry on and finish the game off,” he said.He also noted the slowing nature of the pitch. “Sometimes you have to take the conditions into account as well. The pitch slowed down considerably and I just wanted to keep going in the same manner.”Kohli praised RCB skipper Rajat Patidar for his clarity and aggression, calling him someone who assesses “the bowler’s heart rate rather than the situation,” highlighting the team’s fearless batting approach. RCB’s depth and adaptability driving momentumKohli underlined the flexibility in RCB’s batting unit, crediting the depth provided by players like Romario Shepherd and Tim David. “It looks intimidating if you have Romario and Tim walking in even after five down. These guys can get you 50 runs in four overs,” he said.Looking ahead, Kohli stressed adaptability as the key in the second half of the season. “When pressure kicks in, that’s when the smarts of the game have to be applied. Whoever adapts best will go a long way.”
