Long breaks fuels Virat Kohli; RCB batter says ‘I’m not coming back underprepared’ after win over SRH in IPL 2026 opener

Longs rests in between India's ODI series after his retirement from Tests and T20Is, help Virat Kohli stay mentally fresh as the former skipper led Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) title defense with an unbeaten 38-ball 69 in a six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Chasing Sunrisers Hyderabad's 201/9, RCB romped home in 15.4 overs with Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal (61) being the stars of the show. After the dismissal of Phil Salt in the second over of the chase, the Kohli and Padikkal pair forged 101 runs in 45 balls to take the game away. Although Sunrisers Hyderabad tried to bounce back with two wickets in an over by David Payne, but Kohli ensured there were no further hiccups.

“It’s good to get back out there. You mentioned T20 cricket, the last game I played was the final last year,” Kohli said after the game. The last time Kohli played a competitive game was during the ODI series against New Zealand at home in January. Although India lost the series, Kohli finished the highest run-getter for the Men in Blue with scores of 93, 23 and 124.

Kohli admitted that the way he batted against New Zealand put him in good stead for IPL 2026. "I think the way I batted in the one-day series quite recently really helped me to stay in that same kind of momentum. I wasn’t playing shots that I don’t usually play. So I knew as long as I have the rhythm, and I’ve put enough work physically behind the scenes with my fitness, things should come together nicely.

“And yeah, tonight was another chance to start strong and build on this. The kind of scheduling that we’ve had over the last 15 years and the amount of cricket I’ve played, for me, there was always a risk of getting burnt out rather than being undercooked. So these breaks help me mentally. I stay fresh, I stay excited. Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%. I’m not coming back underprepared. In fact, the extra rest helps me mentally freshen up,” he said.

'You don’t want to just hold on to a spot'

With the kind of talent coming up in Indian cricket nowadays, keeping a spot in the playing XI is always a challenge in every single game, even if it is for someone of Kohli's stature. The owner of 28215 international runs and 8730 runs doesn't hold on to a spot just like that.

“And as long as you’re physically fit and mentally excited, both those things come together nicely. Then you’re able to contribute to the team’s cause, and that’s what you want to do as a player. You don’t want to just hold on to a spot; you want to keep performing and keep putting in the work for the team,” remarked the stylish right-hander who registered his 64th IPL fifty.

What's next for RCB after SRH win?

With a win in pocket, RCB will next host Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at home April 5, thus enjoying a more than a week's break in between. Post the match against CSK, RCB will take on Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in two away games.