'Virat Kohli Should Return As Test Captain': RCB Star Urged To Embrace Red Ball Challenge After SRH Demolition
Virat Kohli once again displayed his T20 credentials as the RCB star smashed his 64th IPL fifty against SRH on Saturday.
- Cricket
- 2 min read
IPL 2026: Virat Kohli's return to T20 cricket attracted much fanfare, and the RCB star didn't disappoint at all. Virat led the charge from the front as RCB chased down 201 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 opener at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Virat Kohli Urged To Call Off Test Retirement
Kohli didn't have a great start, but Devdutt Padikkal's explosive innings allowed him to settle down. Kohli took charge in the final phase and hammered the SRH bowlers all around to bring up his 64th IPL fifty. His late onslaught helped RCB to start their IPL title defence in style.
Ambati Rayudu urged Virat Kohli to come out of Test retirement as he feels he still has five or six years of cricket left in him. On ESPNcricinfo's ‘Time Out’ show, Rayudu said, "I feel his best is yet to come in the IPL. What we have seen is just a trailer. Fitness was never an issue with him. I don't think he would ever get into any trouble with his physical fitness, getting late on the ball, or slowing down on the field. The only thing that can make him take a step back is his mental state. I don't think he's anywhere closer to the end of his career. I still see quality five to six years in him.
“I think he should make a comeback in Test cricket. Hopefully, as a captain. He's been the best red-ball captain that at least I have seen in Indian cricket. He should, the way he's batting, I think it's a loss for Indian cricket.”
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RCB will now host CSK in Bengaluru on April 5.
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RCB Squad For IPL 2026
Abhinandan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Nuwan Thushara, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Dar, Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Vihaan Malhotra (Rs 30 lakh), Jordan Cox (Rs 75 lakh), Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 7 Cr), Satvik Deswal (Rs 30 lakh), Mangesh Yadav (Rs 5.20 Cr), Vicky Ostwal (Rs 30 lakh), Kanishk Chouhan (Rs 30 lakh), Jacob Duffy (Rs 2 Cr).