Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have kicked off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a bang, securing a convincing six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a formidable target of 202, the defending champions comfortably reached the finish line with a remarkable 27 balls to spare, largely thanks to a masterful unbeaten innings from Virat Kohli.
Kohli, the architect of the win, remained not out on 69 off just 38 deliveries, a knock studded with five boundaries and an equal number of sixes. Opening the innings, he forged a record-breaking 101-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, who himself smashed a blistering 61 off a mere 25 balls. This explosive opening stand laid a perfect foundation for RCB’s successful chase.
Kohli Continues to Rewrite IPL History
Even at 37 years of age, Virat Kohli is proving to be an enduring force in the IPL, consistently breaking records. In this commanding chase, he achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first batsman in IPL history to surpass 4000 runs in run chases. This achievement is particularly noteworthy, as the previous second-highest tally in this category was less than 3500 runs.
Furthermore, Kohli’s prowess at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was on full display. He amassed 1288 runs at his home ground in IPL run chases, a new record for the most runs scored by a player at a single venue in this format. This eclipses the previous record held by Rohit Sharma, who had scored 1265 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This innings also marked Kohli’s tenth fifty-plus score at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during run chases, drawing him level with Rohit Sharma, who had previously achieved the same feat at the Wankhede Stadium.
Reflecting on the triumphant start to the season, Kohli expressed his delight: “Starting a new season with a strong performance feels amazing. Every run matters in a chase, and today we executed our plan well.” His sentiment underscores the importance of a positive opening to any campaign.
It’s particularly significant given RCB’s historically challenging record at their home ground, where their win-loss ratio has been a modest 0.4. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is renowned as one of the most popular and high-scoring venues in the league, and Kohli’s dominant performance ensured he left an indelible mark on this opening fixture.
Statistical Breakdown: Kohli’s Dominance in Chases
Virat Kohli’s remarkable consistency in IPL run chases is evident in the following statistics:
Most Runs in an IPL Chase
Player Runs Innings Played Virat Kohli 4027 132 David Warner 3285 97 Rohit Sharma 3238 133 Shikhar Dhawan 2843 94 Robin Uthappa 2832 119 Most Runs at a Single Ground in IPL Run Chases
Player Runs Venue Virat Kohli 1288 Bengaluru Rohit Sharma 1265 Mumbai (Wankhede) AB de Villiers 774 Bengaluru Suryakumar Yadav 772 Mumbai (Wankhede) David Warner 715 Hyderabad
This victory not only propels RCB and Virat Kohli into a strong positive start for IPL 2026 but also firmly cements his position at the pinnacle of the run-scorers’ charts for IPL chases. The team will be looking to build on this momentum as the tournament progresses.
