RCB will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign on March 28, hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in the curtain raiser. After last year\u2019s triumphant season, expectations are high for Kohli and the franchise as they aim to defend their title.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cVirat definitely is still the heartbeat of the franchise. Not only through his performances and the consistency he has achieved with the bat over the years, but also through his presence and the energy he brings to the squad. The way he conducts himself on and off the field, always fighting for the team, stands out. He brings that energy and makes the youngsters believe that they can ultimately go on and win the trophy, which RCB did last year,\u201d de Villiers told JioHotstar. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhat I liked about last season, yes, he was one of the main run-scorers in the team, as openers usually are, but there were other players who stepped in. In the past, RCB were often guilty of relying on just two, three, or four players performing consistently. This time, I felt the entire team chipped in,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cVirat definitely is still the heartbeat of the franchise. Not only through his performances and the consistency he has achieved with the bat over the years, but also through his presence and the energy he brings to the squad. The way he conducts himself on and off the field, always fighting for the team, stands out. He brings that energy and makes the youngsters believe that they can ultimately go on and win the trophy, which RCB did last year,\u201d de Villiers told JioHotstar. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
He emphasised the collective effort, noting that Kohli\u2019s leadership benefits from having a well-rounded squad around him. \u201cThat\u2019s my point, players contributing like that throughout the season, and the bowling attack stepping up. Virat can feel that; he can sense that he is not the only one carrying the load anymore. He has a squad of fighters around him, all gunning to win the trophy. I think they are in a really good place. It\u2019s a similar squad, they didn\u2019t have to change much, and they have good reason to believe they can go all the way again this coming season,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n