itstargetnews
Virat Kohli RCB captain in IPL 2026? : The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is scheduled to start from March 28 and run till May 31, 2026. However, before the IPL, big information According to reports from the defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp, the captain may be changed. rajapatidar Led the team to win the IPL championship for the first time in 2025.
However, before the start of the new season, RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat revealed that the former India Captain Virat Kohli remains the obvious choice for the captaincy. But they decided to make a shift and prioritize long-term stability over short-term solutions. Virat Kohli is the only player to represent a team since the IPL started in 2008.
Virat Kohli to lead RCB again?
Kohli became the team captain in 2011 and captained the team in 143 games. He led RCB to the finals twice, in 2011 and 2016, but failed to win the trophy as captain. The former India skipper resigned from the captaincy in 2023 and Faf du Plessis took over for just two seasons.
Your daily dose of cricket!
Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Bobat said he and head coach Andy Flower met Virat in London shortly after the end of the 2024 season to discuss the captaincy role.
Bobbat said: “Andy (Flower) and I met him (Kohli) in London shortly after the 2024 season and discussed (captaincy). He is always ready to step up and lead. He doesn’t need a second invitation.”
This is the video
“𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙙”𝗶𝘀𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻. 𝗜𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆! ❤️🔥
To develop it, RCB needs calmness, structure and a long-term ‘Indian’ captain. This is the decision… pIc.twItter.cohrice/jphosphorus00IySj59
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) medium sizeonercHour 3, 2026
RCB looks beyond Virat Kohli
“But we talked at that stage that the decision wasn’t just about the three of us. It was about RCB as a wider team – its leadership, maybe even beyond us. We might not be here and Rajat might continue as captain. So, now is a moment where we have to take that responsibility very seriously.”
Bobat admitted that making Virat Kohli captain again would be the easier option but stressed the need to move away from dependence on the former captain. The management wants a young captain who can lead the team like the 23-year-old Virat did in 2011.
The simplest thing is to say – Mobo Bart
Bobat further added, “The simplest thing is to say, ‘Virat, would you mind filling in and captaining?’ But then you just make a decision temporarily. At some point, we can’t keep relying on Virat. Virat is a smart guy. He figured it out pretty quickly. He said, ‘Let’s think of some other guys.’ “But if you need someone, then obviously I can do that.”
RCB plans to participate in the opening match of IPL. However, the IPL schedule has not been officially announced yet, so the names of the opponents have not been announced either. According to reports, RCB will still play its home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium despite a stampede during last year’s victory parade.
Also read: Sam Curran prays for more pain for Abhishek Sharma, issues Pat Cummins-esque warning
