• Source:JND

Virat Kohli believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru's success in IPL 2026 comes from having a squad full of match-winners, allowing him to play without carrying all the responsibility on his shoulders.

After guiding RCB to a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, Kohli reflected on the team's journey and praised the balance and depth within the squad.

The veteran batter remained unbeaten on 75 runs and played a key role in helping Bengaluru chase down the target after the bowlers restricted Gujarat Titans to a manageable total.

Speaking after the victory, Kohli said the biggest difference in this RCB team is that multiple players are capable of stepping up when needed.

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“We've had to wait for so long and then just to have a group of guys where you feel like you're stepping onto the ground, you don't need to be the one to step up every time,” Kohli told host broadcaster.

“These guys are behind you (and) around you, who can win games of cricket for you. We have so many Man of the Match awards spread throughout the group as well."

Virat Kohli on RCB's bowling attack

Kohli reserved special praise for RCB's bowling attack, which played a major role throughout the season and once again delivered in the final.

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“You look at world-class bowling of Hoff (Josh Hazlewood), Bhuv (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), Duff (Jacob Duffy), and Krunal Pandya — you can bank on him as good as ever — Rasikh (Salam) Dar was brilliant this season,” Kohli said.

The former RCB captain also highlighted the team's overall balance, saying every department contributed during the campaign.

“All the batsmen shipped in as well. I feel so happy to play in a group where we have balance, we have strength, and we are an all-around strong team and that's why we have the confidence we have on the field right now,” he said.

Kohli Says IPL 2026 Final Felt Different

Kohli admitted that this year's final felt different compared to the previous season because the team had confidence in its ability and consistency throughout the tournament.

“I said to a few of the boys that it doesn't feel like the same pressure as last year, we knew what kind of ability we have in the group,” he said.

RCB finished at the top of the points table during the league stage and carried that momentum into the playoffs.

“We topped the table, there's a reason why we got here first and we just said one thing, ’if we stick to our cricket, if we execute our plans, we are the best team in the competition’ and there's a reason why we've done well so far.”

The star batter said the team's maturity and composure helped them maintain high standards throughout the season.

“In the group stage, we ended up topping the league stage and just the skill sets (that) we have, the maturity, the composure of the guys just shown through again tonight and it was a clinical performance brought throughout the tournament,” Kohli said.

Mumbai Indians' win helped restore belief

Kohli also spoke about a challenging phase after the mid-season break when RCB briefly lost momentum.

According to him, a hard-fought win against Mumbai Indians played a crucial role in rebuilding confidence within the squad.

“After the break, we had a couple of losses… I mean, one loss, and then we had a close win against MI,” he said.

The victory proved to be a turning point as RCB regained their rhythm and finished the season strongly.

“I'd say that week for us was a bit tricky because we wanted to finish top, but as soon as we got there, win against MI, the belief kicked back in, then we had a comprehensive win against KKR and then, yeah, just ended up topping the table and just on our way to the finals,” Kohli said.


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