Overview
- RCB chief executive Rajesh Menon publicly backed Virat Kohli to play for the franchise for at least three to four more years and said the club expects Kohli to stay linked to RCB after retirement.
- Kohli finished IPL 2026 with 675 runs at a career-best single-season strike rate and hit an unbeaten 75 to seal RCB’s successful title defence in the final.
- Kohli was withdrawn from a recent Afghanistan ODI series with a hamstring concern, and India chief selector Ajit Agarkar expects him to be fit for the England ODIs in July as he targets the 2027 ODI World Cup.
- With one season left in the current auction cycle before a 2028 mega-auction, Menon’s comments reduce immediate retirement speculation and make Kohli a central factor in RCB retention choices.
- An impending change of RCB ownership raises questions about future roles but multiple franchise statements indicate the team plans to keep Kohli closely involved on and off the field.