Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan thinks batting mainstay Virat Kohli will be crucial to the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) hopes to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) again.
After winning the IPL trophy for the first time last season, Pathan stated on JioHotstar that Kohli’s will to win is still unwavering.
“The hunger in Virat Kohli will always be there. In fact, he will be even hungrier after winning the IPL last year. He will want to win back-to-back titles and make an impact in every game,” Pathan said.
In the 2025 season, Kohli was instrumental in RCB’s first-ever title victory. With a strike rate of 144.71 and an average of 54.75, the 37-year-old scored 657 runs in 15 innings.
With eight half-centuries and 66 fours, he was one of the tournament’s top run scorers.
According to Pathan, Kohli’s recent performances for India, like as the ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand, demonstrated his intention to dominate games.
Additionally, Pathan emphasized how Devdutt Padikkal’s performance would be critical to RCB’s success in the forthcoming campaign. In ten IPL 2025 games, Padikkal amassed 247 runs before being sidelined due to a hamstring ailment.
The left-hander scored two half-centuries, with a highest score of 61, while maintaining a strike rate of 150.61.
According to Pathan, Padikkal has significantly improved following impressive domestic cricket achievements. “He is a very confident player now. Earlier he struggled with timing, but that phase is behind him.”
He continued by saying that RCB’s current team has multiple game-winning players and is no longer reliant on a small number of elite players.
“That has changed now. Their whole playing XI is full of match-winners. That is a fantastic thing.”
Pathan did point out that RCB might have injury issues, particularly with relation to Josh Hazlewood’s fitness. He claimed that the team is strengthened by the presence of backups like Jacob Duffy and Nuwan Thushara.
“Going into IPL 2026, RCB will have some injury concerns, especially with Josh Hazlewood’s fitness. The good thing is they have secured good backups. The duo of Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy can cover well for Hazlewood if he faces fitness issues. That makes RCB even stronger.”
