Virat Kohli was the star attraction in defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first coaching session forward of IPL 2026. Kohli, the long-serving RCB batter, was all enterprise on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old began the session with a pep discuss to his teammates gathered in a circle, with head coach Andy Flower by his aspect. The previous India captain then received into the thick of issues with an hour-long batting stint.
Dealing with Venkatesh Iyer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the spinners group led by Krunal Pandya, Kohli took an aggressive strategy. Some photographs made candy connection, with the ball crusing deep into the mid-wicket stands.
Within the backdrop of uncertainty with worldwide flights as a result of battle within the Center East, England’s Jordan Cox was the one overseas participant in attendance.
Cox, an attacking top-order batter, engaged in a protracted chat with Kohli earlier than the latter wielded the willow.
Rajat Patidar, who led RCB to its maiden IPL title final season, was not current. Batting coach Dinesh Karthik and left-arm pacer Yash Dayal had been the opposite notable absentees.
Karnataka southpaw Devdutt Padikkal, contemporary from an excellent marketing campaign within the Ranji Trophy, was paired with Kohli within the batting web.
Nearly instantly after the duo took the pads off to wind down, the session got here to a halt as a consequence of rain.
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The night held additional significance as normalcy returned to the stadium, which has been sidelined because the stampede which claimed 11 lives in June final 12 months.
After months of hypothesis and suspense, the enduring stadium lastly obtained the nod to host IPL 2026 matches from the workplace of the State House Minister, G. Parameshwara.
Excessive-level cricket motion is ready to return to the stadium on March 28, when RCB takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad within the opening match of IPL 2026.
Revealed on Mar 18, 2026