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Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan believes Virat Kohli will be more 'hungrier' than ever to win another title with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
Kohli, who is representing the Bengaluru-based franchise since the inagural season of the tournament, played a key role in the team's maiden title win. In the final against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), he scored 43 runs and helped his team secure their first-ever IPL trophy. Over the course of the season, he was also RCB’s leading run-scorer, finishing with 657 runs in 15 matches.
Why Kohli will be more hungry in IPL 2026?
Pathan said Kohli’s drive to succeed will only grow after finally lifting the IPL trophy. Speaking on JioStar, he explained that Kohli is the kind of player who is always eager to make a difference and will now be aiming to win back-to-back titles.
“The hunger in Virat Kohli will be there. In fact, he will be hungrier than ever, especially after lifting the IPL trophy last season. He will want to win back-to-back IPL trophies. That hunger in him to win and create an impact is always going to be there," Pathan was quoted as saying on JioStar.
Irfan Pathan lauds Kohli's passion
According to Pathan, Kohli’s passion has also been clear in his recent matches for India. He pointed out that during the ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand, Kohli looked determined to contribute in every game. Pathan believes the same energy and focus will be visible when he returns for the new IPL season, as he will want to lift the trophy once again.
“We have seen that when he played for India, especially in the one-day series against South Africa and New Zealand. He looks like he wants to make an impact in every game. I think he will have the same kind of passion when he comes back this season. He will want to lift the trophy once again," he said.
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RCB will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Notably, Kohli recently shared a clip on his social media where the batting great has started preparing for the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league.
Will Chinnaswamy host IPL 2026 matches?
However, the matches planned in Bengaluru will depend on approval from an expert committee set up by the Karnataka government. The committee is scheduled to inspect the stadium on March 13, where a full mock drill of match-day arrangements will be conducted to check if the venue is ready to host IPL games.
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