The clock is ticking down to the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, and cricket fans are eagerly waiting to see Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) back on the field.
The team will begin their tournament against their southern rivals, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, on March 28. Ahead of this big opening game, RCB Legend AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on the team’s mindset and his close friend, Virat Kohli.
Speaking on JioStar, AB de Villiers talked about how excited and prepared Virat Kohli will be for the upcoming matches. He praised Kohli’s incredible dedication to the sport, assuring fans that the star batter will be at his physical best.
“First of all, he (Kohli) has the best work ethic I have ever seen in my life. So, he will not enter the tournament undercooked. If he doesn’t perform, it will purely be down to form or perhaps a technical issue. I am expecting a great season from him. I can only imagine how hyped he must be after getting some well-deserved rest,” De Villiers said.
Virat Kohli and RCB can win Multiple IPL Titles: ABD
The former South African captain also highlighted Kohli’s deep desire to win championships. He believes that RCB has what it takes to win back-to-back titles, sharing a secret from their past conversations in the dressing room.
“Virat will most definitely be ready, there is no doubt about that, and RCB can actually go back-to-back. You will remember him often saying in the dressing room, ‘If we can win one, we are going to win two, three, four quickly,'” the South African added.
De Villiers feels that the current RCB team is in a fantastic mental space right now. Because of this positive environment, he made a very bold prediction regarding the team’s future success.
“I truly believe that. I feel RCB are in that zone now where they can go bang, bang, bang – perhaps two or three trophies in a row. Who knows? I am just hoping for a really strong start this season; that will be crucial for them. My advice to Virat would be to just go out there and enjoy,” he concluded.