Virat Kohli’s first-class and Indian Premier League (IPL) careers have always overlapped. The batter from Delhi made his red-ball debut in 2006 and played until 2025. This meant Kohli could always work on his batting. While many don’t realise, often the best T20 batters have a strong red-ball base.
Test retirement a concern?
Chris Gayle played over 100 Test matches and struck 2 triple centuries. AB de Villiers is one of 2 South African batters to play over 100 Test matches and average over 50. Facing high-quality bowling for long periods pays major dividends. This applies to current batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harry Brook, and Shubman Gill.
Considering Kohli has always relied on picking the gaps, running between the wickets, and timing the ball instead of muscling it, will his performance in the IPL 2026 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) be affected after his Test retirement in May 2025?
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes playing just one format of international cricket could affect Kohli. Sustaining only on ODIs, the least-played format in cricket, could mean Kohli might need more time to get into rhythm. But Kohli’s history does show that he usually doesn’t have trouble returning to white-ball cricket after a break.
“This time, things will be a little different for Kohli. For the first time, he will play in the IPL, having completely retired from Test cricket. He is playing only one format. It is not easy for anyone. But he has scored (in ODIs), and his performance has been brilliant. Even when he comes after a break, it has not been difficult for him in one-day cricket,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Anchor no more
The all-rounder thinks Kohli will don the same role for RCB as he did last year. The former IPL captain averaged a whopping 54.75, but his strike rate was 144.71, his third-highest in his 18-year career in the league. Pathan reckons he’ll match Phil Salt‘s fire with his own fire as RCB tries to defend their title.
“In T20s, when you play the aggressor and come in not having played a lot, it will be challenging. But he has faced many challenges before as well. I am very excited to see how he will go forward this season. When they won last season, his strike rate also went up. He did not play the anchor but took on the role of an aggressor. It was a huge factor. They will expect even this time that he keeps up the same form,” he added.
Virat Kohli’s batting stats in IPL 2025
| Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 657 | 73* | 54.75 | 144.71 | 8 |
