Royal Challengers Bengaluru's batting icon, Virat Kohli, is approaching a significant historic milestone as his side prepares to face the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026. The veteran opener requires just 28 more runs to become the first player in the history of the league to reach the 1,000-run mark against the five-time champions. Over the course of 34 IPL matches, Kohli has amassed 972 runs against Mumbai at an average of 32.4, consistently proving to be a formidable opponent for the MI bowling attack.
Virat Kohli sets sights on sensational record against MI
While the 1,000-run milestone in the IPL remains the immediate target, Kohli has already reached that figure against Mumbai Indians in the broader T20 format. During a previous encounter last month, his combined tally from IPL matches and the now-defunct Champions League T20 crossed the four-digit mark. This upcoming match offers him the opportunity to cement his dominance specifically within the IPL record books.
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The race to the 1,000-run club against Mumbai is currently a tight contest between two of India's top batters. While Kohli is just 28 runs away, KL Rahul currently holds the record for the most IPL runs scored against the Mumbai Indians with a total of 977. With both players vying for the top spot, the next few fixtures could see the record books rewritten as they look to become the first to break into quadruple digits against the storied franchise.
Top five highest run-scorers against MI in IPL:
KL Rahul: 977
Virat Kohli: 972
Shikhar Dhawan: 901
Suresh Raina: 824
Manish Pandey: 796
Kohli will be eager to find his rhythm again following a disappointing outing against the Lucknow Super Giants, where he was dismissed for a duck after being clean bowled by Prince Yadav. His return to form is seen as crucial for the team as they look to move past recent batting struggles and regain the momentum that defined their early-season performance.
RCB started their campaign in blistering fashion, securing four wins in their opening matches and making a playoff appearance seem like a certainty. However, the defending champions have hit a mid-tournament slump, losing three of their last five fixtures. While they remain in a strong position—sitting third on the table with 12 points from 10 matches—there is an undeniable sense that the team has lost some of its initial spark as the competition enters its most critical phase.
The current standings have added further pressure, with the team now tied at 12 points alongside the Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans. Depending on the outcome of the weekend's clash in Jaipur, Bengaluru faces the prospect of sliding down to fourth place. Beyond these external ladder movements, the team’s primary focus will be on internal consistency, specifically ensuring that the batting unit regains its collective range to secure their spot in the knockouts.