Virat Kohli remains the most consistent batter in IPL history and the anchor of RCB's 2026 title defence. For fantasy cricket managers, understanding when and how to use Kohli as your captain is the single biggest decision of the season.
Kohli is the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history with over 8,000 runs across 17 seasons. His IPL average of 37+ across nearly 240 matches is remarkable in a format designed for aggressive hitting. In 2026, as RCB's senior statesman under captain Rajat Patidar, Kohli bats at No. 1 in every match — meaning guaranteed balls faced regardless of venue or opposition.
In Sport God AI's IPL scoring system, Kohli scores in these categories:
His historical pts_avg of 50 per match on our platform makes him the second most expensive credit option (12.0 Cr) after Jasprit Bumrah. He's worth it at 12 credits if you're willing to accept lower ceiling for guaranteed floor output.
Captain Kohli in: high-scoring venues (Wankhede, Chinnaswamy), day-night games with dew, matches against pace-heavy attacks, and home games at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium where he averages 65+ in his career.
Avoid captaining Kohli in: slow turning pitches (MA Chidambaram), matches against elite spin attacks, and must-win grand league situations where differential captains offer more upside.
As defending champions, RCB face the added pressure and scrutiny of every opponent treating them as the team to beat. The squad remains formidable — Kohli, Patidar, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell in batting, and Siraj + Hazlewood with the ball. Our AI predictions give RCB a 28% chance of winning back-to-back titles — the highest of any franchise.
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