‘Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%’ – Virat Kohli’s massive statement after heroics in IPL 2026 opener vs SRH

Virat Kohli explained how the long breaks between his appearances in competitive cricket have helped him stay fresh and excited. His remarks came after his whirlwind half-century in the opening encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Chasing a challenging total of 202, RCB romped home in 15.4 overs with six wickets to spare. While Devdutt Padikkal scored an enterprising 61 off 26 balls, skipper Rajat Patidar smashed 31 off 12 deliveries. However, Kohli stole the show with an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls, belting five fours and five sixes.

Kohli said that the breaks he gets between assignments, now that he has retired from Tests and T20Is, help him stay physically fit and mentally fresh. He asserted that his goal has always been to contribute to the team’s cause instead of just holding on to a spot.

“Well, you know, the kind of scheduling that we’ve had over the last 15 years, and the amount of cricket I’ve played, for me, there was always a risk of getting burnt out rather than being undercooked. So these breaks helped me immensely. I stay fresh, I stay excited. Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%. I’m not coming back, you know, underprepared,” Kohli said after the match (via ESPNcricinfo).

“In fact, the extra rest helps me to mentally freshen up. And as long as you’re physically fit and you’re excited mentally, both those things come together nicely. And then you’re able to, you know, contribute for the team’s cause. And that’s what you want to do as a player. You don’t want to hold on to a spot,” he added.

Earlier in the night, it was Jacob Duffy who wreaked havoc with the new ball for RCB. On his IPL debut, the Kiwi speedster bowled four overs on the trot and took three wickets inside the power play to rock the Orange Army.

Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan played a majestic knock of 80 off 38 balls, while Aniket Verma contributed with an 18-ball 43 to take SRH past the 200-run mark. However, the pitch only got better as the game went on, and RCB reached the target in a canter.