‘His presence gives us a mental edge’ - Venkatesh Iyer hails Virat Kohli after RCB’s IPL 2026 triumph

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Venkatesh Iyer heaped praise on Virat Kohli following the franchise’s successful title defence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. RCB defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31 to lift their second IPL trophy.

Chasing a target of 156 in a high-pressure final, RCB produced a composed batting performance led by Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 75 off just 42 deliveries. The veteran batter anchored the chase brilliantly and was deservedly named Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.

Venkatesh highlighted Kohli’s calming influence during the chase and revealed how the dressing room remained confident despite losing a couple of wickets.

“There is so much to learn from him. In the chase, the plan was to go hard at the top. In a 160-run chase, games are often won in the powerplay, and GT have a very good bowling attack. At RCB, the plan is always to target the opposition’s strong point, and that’s what Virat does to perfection. Even when we lost a couple of quick wickets, there was never any panic because we knew that with Virat there, we had control. His very presence in the middle gives us a mental edge over the opposition. And, as we all saw, he stayed out there till the end and closed out the game,” Venkatesh told Revsportz.

The left-handed batter also opened up on the impact Kohli has had on him personally during their time together at RCB. According to Venkatesh, the former India captain’s unmatched intensity and commitment serve as a source of inspiration for every player in the squad.

“With Virat there, you know you can’t be loose with your drills. He is always full of intensity and commitment, and when you see someone who has achieved as much as he has do it day in and day out, ball after ball, both on and off the field, you feel inspired to do the same. His presence itself makes a big difference, and that’s something each of us has used as a learning,” he continued.

Venkatesh further revealed that Kohli constantly encourages players to approach every aspect of the game with intent and conviction, regardless of the match situation.

“Not much is said in a T20 game. Each of us knows our respective roles and, with Virat, the one thing he always says is to do things with passion and aggression. He insists on clarity of action. So, if you want to play a defensive shot – not that you do so very often in a T20 contest – even that should be played with intent and conviction. You should be aggressive in your approach, and that’s something I have learnt from him.”

Venkatesh reserved special praise for Kohli’s work ethic, stating that the star batter remains the hardest-working cricketer in the RCB setup despite achieving almost everything in the game.

“I have never seen a more hard-working cricketer. He is still the hardest-working player in the team, and once you see him up close, you understand why he has achieved as much as he has. He prepares for every situation that can present itself because he has encountered every kind of situation in his career. That’s why he wasn’t the least bit flustered during the chase, and that’s a huge positive for us at RCB. For all that he has done for the franchise, he deserves all the success that is coming his way,” he concluded. 

Having played a pivotal role throughout the campaign, the veteran capped off another memorable season with a match-winning performance, helping RCB retain their IPL crown and further cementing his legacy as one of the franchise’s greatest-ever players.