Kohli delivered a match-winning knock of 75* in the IPL 2026 final for RCB against GT.
Virat Kohli produced a Player-of-the-Match performance in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2026 final win over Gujarat Titans (GT) at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 31).
Chasing a target of 156 runs, Kohli remained unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls to take RCB over the line with five wickets and 12 deliveries to spare.
The RCB stalwart finished the campaign with 675 runs from 16 matches at an average of 56.25 and an IPL-best strike rate of 165.84.
Following his match-winning knock in the title clash, former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar for perfectly adapting to the demands of modern T20 batting.
“At this stage, watching him in this tournament, he has mastered the art of T20 batting that is needed in IPL cricket. Which means now he knows that he has to score at a 150 to 160 strike rate. So he cashes in the first six overs," Manjrekar said in a video shared on his Instagram account.
“The most important thing is that he has found this power game, which is just about optimum. It’s almost like he is in third and fourth gear, while the others are trying to hit at a strike rate of 200 and 230," he added.
Manjrekar highlighted that Kohli prioritizes timed boundaries over raw power. This approach minimizes execution risk while maintaining a highly effective scoring rate. Striking 73 fours compared to 25 sixes clearly demonstrates his calculated strategy.
“When hitting boundaries, Kohli is still big on fours rather than sixes as he does in white-ball international cricket."
According to Manjrekar, Kohli’s new template is both sustainable and a massive long-term advantage for the RCB.
“Having mastered the art of T20 batting, I don’t see it quickly fading away from Kohli. He will keep working on his fitness, and he has found this template to be consistent and go with the modern times of strike rate. This form of Virat Kohli will be there for a while, and thereby, RCB will be very fortunate and, in a way, very deserving as well," Manjrekar remarked.