Virat Kohli Starts Training for IPL 2026

Virat Kohli, the star batter for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has begun training sessions ahead of the Indian Premier League's 2026 season, which is set to start on March 28. The 37-year-old shared a video on Instagram showing him practicing in an indoor facility at Lord's Cricket Ground in London, captioned simply "IPL 2026." In the clip, Kohli can be seen striking shots with a new bat while wearing India's national team gear, signaling his return to competitive preparation after a break from professional cricket.

Kohli's last match was in January during India's one-day international series against New Zealand, where he scored 124 runs in Indore despite the team's 41-run loss and a 2-1 series defeat. His early start to training comes as Royal Challengers Bengaluru aim to defend their maiden IPL title, won last season by defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the final at Ahmedabad. In that tournament, Kohli led his team's run-scoring with 657 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, including eight half-centuries. His contribution in the final included 43 runs off 35 balls before he was dismissed in the 15th over, helping set a target of 190.