IPL 2026: Despite the Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing an important win over arch-rivals Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium, there were questions over star batter Virat Kohli’s fitness as the talisman was missing from the action during the entire 2nd innings of the match. Kohli missing an entire innings of a match was bound to raise questions as fans on social media raised concerns over the 37-year-old’s fitness. Kohli, reportedly, suffered an injury scare near the ankle, which he picked up during his innings of 50 off 38 balls.
Virat Kohli to miss RCB vs LSG match?
The rumours around Kohli’s fitness were rested after RCB posted a picture of the star batter from the nets at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on Tuesday. Notably, the post was captioned – “Bengaluru, T-1 day to see him back in his Kingdom” with a visual of Kohli playing one in the air. Check out the post here:
Bengaluru, T-1 day to see him back in his Kingdom. 🙌#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/j8XZOaa0mI
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 14, 2026
Kohli was seen batting against bowlers and throw-down specialists, displaying no indications of discomfort while practicing in the nets. Young fast bowler Rasikh Dar, who spoke to the media on Tuesday, refrained from discussing the injury situation. RCB will decide on Kohli’s availability following the training session.
On Tuesday, social media chatter indicated that Kohli might not accompany the team to Bengaluru and would stay in Mumbai, possibly missing the game on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli’s Knock During RCB vs LSG Match?
Riding on the half-centuries of Phil Salt, Kohli, and skipper Rajat Patidar, RCB defeated MI by 18 runs in the IPL 2026.
However, Virat looked a little scratchy, struggling to connect some of his shots, and scored 50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six, with a strike rate of over 13, way down from his tournament SR of over 173 before that point.
So far, Virat is amongst the top 10 run-getters with 179 runs in four innings, averaging 59.66, with a strike rate of over 162.
Harbhajan Singh on Virat Kohli’s Knock:
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live’, Harbhajan said, “Virat Kohli’s half-century came at a slightly slower pace. You could see he wasn’t fully satisfied, especially with the way Phil Salt was scoring at the other end. But his role was crucial. He ensured there were no early wickets and provided stability at the top.”
The former spinner said that Kohli cemented the innings, making the way for Salt and Patidar to go berserk against MI bowling.
“While players like Rajat Patidar and Salt played more aggressively, Kohli anchored the innings and allowed them to play their natural game. Against someone like Jasprit Bumrah, he was very cautious and played him intelligently, but he made sure to capitalise on the other bowlers whenever there was an opportunity,” he added.
(with agencies’ inputs)
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
