RCB will face SRH in the IPL 2026 tournament opener on March 28 in Bengaluru.
The RCB legend will be playing his first IPL season after retiring from Test cricket last year; he presently only plays ODIs for the Indian team.
Irfan Pathan stated that, despite Virat's outstanding performance in ODIs, T20 cricket will be a new challenge for the charismatic hitter, even after his break. Kohli last played for India in January in the three ODIs at home against New Zealand.
“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, 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 was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.
“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," he added.
However, Pathan highlighted that the way Kohli batted aggressively from the get-go for RCB was a big reason why they won the IPL 2025.
“Virat Kohli and RCB are an identity that goes together. He started with RCB and is still playing for them. He has delivered brilliant performances. It was also a golden period in his career when he captained the team; there were a lot of brilliant performances. When they won last season, his strike rate also went up. He did not play the anchor but took the role of an aggressor. It was a very big factor. They will expect even this time that he keeps up the same form," he noted.