Will Virat Kohli Play As An Impact Player in IPL 2026? June 3, 2025, was the day when Virat Kohli was seen crying as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their long-pending IPL championship in a six-run victory against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The ground was especially emotional for Kohli, who had cried there before after India’s defeat in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
“Can’t Play as an Impact Player”: Will Virat Kohli Play As An Impact Player?
In response to a question regarding whether he will play the role of an impact player in IPL 2026, 36-year-old Virat Kohli clarified that he wishes to be involved in the game right from the beginning until its end. He emphasized that his fitness level and interest in playing full matches are high.
“I can’t play as an impact player, I want to feel 20 overs and make an impact in the field. That’s the kind of player I have been. And God’s blessed me with that perspective, with the talent. And then you find different ways to help the team,” Kohli answered in the post-match interview.
Tribute to AB de Villiers: “This Win Is Yours Too”
Kohli also made a sincere homage to his former teammate and close friend AB de Villiers. During the last overs, de Villiers was close to the boundary line, seeing the history being made. Kohli claimed that the South African great’s legacy is very much entrenched in the franchise.
What AB has done for RCB is incredible. I said to him, ‘This win is as much yours as ours. Enjoy with us.’ Even after four years of retirement, he is the Player of the Match in spirit for us,” Kohli said to commentator Matthew Hayden.
He added, “That speaks volumes about his influence on this league, this team, and me. He should be on that podium, lifting the Cup with us.”
Virat Kohli’s IPL 2025 Performance: Consistency at Its Best
After a hesitant knock in the last 43 runs from 35 balls with three fours, Virat Kohli finished IPL 2025 as the third-most run-scorer of the season. He scored 657 runs in 15 games with a terrific average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, with eight half-centuries to his name.
Kohli’s innings in the final came to an end in the 15th over when he was dismissed by Afghan pacer Azmatullah Omarzai, but his steady performance had already laid a solid foundation for RCB’s triumph.
Kohli All Set for Full-Time Role in IPL 2026
As IPL 2026 draws near, Virat Kohli has laid to rest any doubts regarding a limited role. The RCB icon is still dedicated to approaching the game with complete intensity and passion. Supporters can look forward to seeing him as a key figure and not merely an impact player in RCB’s scheme of things for the next season.
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