‘Am I an overseas player?’ - Virat Kohli shuts down London trolls after winning start in RCB's title defense in IPL 2026

Virat Kohli's shifting of base to London along with his family has been a topic of significant discussion on social media with critics pointing fingers at his residency. With the kind of personalities Kohli and his actress wife Anushka Sharma are, living a normal life in India is extremely difficult as fans and media would flock them every time they come out of their house.

Another aspect that played a huge part in Kohli and Anushka moving out was their kids as the star couple wanted to to raise their son and daughter away from the glitz and glamour. While it is believed that Anushka has taken a break from her career to raise the kids, Kohli often returns to India to play for India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL.

Having already retired from Tests and T20Is, Kohli only plays in the 50-over format for India. The last time he was seen in national colours on home soil was back in January when the Men in Blue hosted New Zealand. With close to two month's break, Kohli is back with a bang for RCB, leading the defending champions with an unbeaten half-century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 opener in front of home fans.

The decision to stay away from constant spotlight hasn't impacted Kohli's performances. Rather, the long breaks have helped the former Indian captain to be mentally fresh and excited and give 120% on the field. The 37-year-old finally broke his silence on the “overseas” chatter, in a light-hearted exchange with RCB's popular persona Mr Nags.

“There are a many things that people say on social media about you. People are saying RCB are playing five overseas players,” Mr Nags said. Kohli, took a pause, before breaking down in laughter, and humourously replied, “I don't know. Why are you asking me? Ask the overseas players. I am not an overseas player. Am I an overseas player?”

Virat Kohli recalls the night of June 3, 2025

Like the last season, RCB have been able to keep their core intact. Although they picked a few in the auction, but it's almost the same XI, that took the field during their maiden title-winning campaign in IPL 2025. It may have taken RCB to lift the trophy in the 18th season, but the triumph has brought a sense of relief among the players.

In fact, RCB tasted success on their fourth attempt, having reached the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Kohli admitted that the the night of June 3, 2025, everything beame light, at least for him. “I had heard of this statement or this saying, four years, monkey off the back. That night I really felt what it means. Everything became light,” Kohli added.

In fact, Kohli is the only player in the history of IPL to play for a single franchise. The father of two, Kohli also dived deep into what success meant for him after years of perseverance and dedication. “Victory is the accumulation of hard work and all the sacrifices you’ve made.

"It all comes together as a form of assurance, a reward, to know that you haven’t wasted your time. A lot of people learn from losses, but a lot of people can get very disheartened as well. So when you win after a lot of hard work, it makes you feel a sense of justice to the work that you put in, and also gives you motivation to work harder," Kohli said.

What's next for Virat Kohli & RCB?

With a win in the pocket, Kohli and Co will travel to Chepauk to take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday in IPL 2026. For the record, CSK have lost both their games so far in this season.

After being humiliated by Rajasthan Royals in their campaign opener, the five-time champions dished out a improved batting show against Punjab Kings. However, the Shreyas Iyer-led side once again prevailed with five wickets and 10 balls in hand.

Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.