Questions arise over Kohli’s future with RCB
Virat Kohli’s long-standing association with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) could be nearing its end, as speculation intensifies around his potential retirement from the Indian Premier League. Reports suggest Kohli has chosen not to renew a commercial contract linked to the franchise ahead of the 2026 season — a move being interpreted as a sign that he may be distancing himself from the team’s branding and long-term plans.
According to a report by Rev Sports journalist Rohit Juglan, Kohli was expected to renew the deal before the upcoming IPL cycle but has not moved forward with it. The development has sparked widespread discussion within the cricketing community, especially as it follows Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket and a notably low public profile in recent months.
“Last time before the mega-auction, I got the lead that before the start of the next season of the IPL (that is in 2026), Virat Kohli would have to renew a contract in association with a brand. But the news is, he has not renewed his contract. Now the speculation is that Virat wants the RCB franchise to plan their way ahead without using his face,” Rohit Juglan said on his YouTube channel.
Refusal of captaincy offer signals strategic shift
This isn’t the first time Kohli has appeared to take a step back from leadership and branding responsibilities at RCB. According to Juglan, ahead of the previous IPL mega auction, Kohli declined the opportunity to resume captaincy duties — instead throwing his full support behind emerging batter Rajat Patidar.
“Even last year, ahead of the mega-auction, when he was offered captaincy of the RCB side, he did not show interest in it and rather pined for Rajat Patidar and backed him with utter confidence,” Rohit Juglan said on his YouTube channel.
Patidar went on to lead the franchise to its first IPL title, breaking RCB’s long-standing title drought and potentially marking a generational transition in the team’s leadership.
Kohli unlikely to mirror Dhoni’s extended IPL run
Juglan also addressed the broader context of Kohli’s career trajectory, suggesting that the star batter is unlikely to follow the same post-international path as MS Dhoni, who has remained active in the IPL well after retiring from international formats.
“Virat won’t act like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. I am not criticizing Dhoni; I just mean that, like, MS Dhoni retired from T20 internationals in 2020 and is still continuing with the IPL in 2025 and is expected to play in 2026 as well. Virat Kohli is not likely to continue so long once he retires from One-Days for the national side,” said Juglan on his YouTube channel.
With no official confirmation from either Kohli or the franchise, the future remains uncertain. But the combination of his reported contract non-renewal, past decisions around leadership, and broader retirement context all suggest that Kohli’s legendary IPL chapter may be entering its final phase.
