Former South African batsman AB de Villiers claims that RCB's 'squad of fighters' will relieve Virat Kohli's load and help Royal Challengers Bengaluru win the IPL 2026. After an 18-year wait, Kohli is still a key member of the RCB team as they look to defend the first trophy they won last season.

“Virat can feel that; he can sense that he is not the only one carrying the load anymore. He has a squad of fighters around him, all gunning to win the trophy. I think they are in a really good place," former RCB batter de Villiers told JioStar.

Despite Kohli taking a break since mid-January, de Villiers is confident that the Indian star will enter the IPL well-prepared. Kohli has retired from Test and T20I, only competing in ODI matches for India. 

“He has the best work ethic I have ever seen in my life. He will not come into the tournament undercooked. If he doesn’t play well, it will purely be down to form or maybe a technical error," de Villiers said.

De Villiers also believes that RCB is now in a position to consistently challenge for titles. The former South African skipper believes that defending champions could win two or three trophies in a row.

“You will remember him (Kohli) speaking about it often in the dressing room, ‘If we can win one, we are going to win two, three, four quickly.’ 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," he added.

Anil Kumble expects Virat Kohli to unveil some new shots this IPL

Former Indian star Anil Kumble suggested that Kohli might unveil some new shots this IPL season. With the Test cricket and T20I behind him, Kohli could try to find new ways to score runs.

“Don’t be surprised if he comes into this season with a different outlook, perhaps trying something like the scoop shot or the reverse scoop. Virat could add that to his batting repertoire as well. Great players like him are constantly looking to evolve, improve, and challenge themselves." Kumble said.