Virat Kohli Chases Historic Milestone In Delhi Homecoming As RCB Seek DC Revenge At Arun Jaitley Stadium

Virat Kohli is truly one of Delhi’s own. But on Monday, the legendary batter will look to be Delhi’s downfall when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take the field at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to face Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 39 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

When Kohli touches down in the city of his birth, where he grew up and learned the sport that has turned him into a global star, one thing is for sure – he will stop at nothing to fire RCB to a win to keep them in the hunt for a top-placed finish in IPL 2026. There will be no split loyalties, no moments of hesitation from the local boy.

Since joining RCB in 2008, Kohli has turned into something of a revered figure in his adopted city of Bengaluru. He is by far the franchise’s greatest player ever and captained the team for nine years. Although he couldn’t lead them to an IPL title – one of his very few regrets, for sure – he was instrumental with the bat as RCB won their maiden IPL trophy in 2025.

This year, too, Kohli has starred with the bat, despite some injury issues that saw him drop into an impact substitute role against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The 37-year-old has scored 328 runs in seven innings and is firmly in the Orange Cap race.

He will have a score to settle against DC as well. During the reverse fixture at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, Kohli had a rare off-day as he was dismissed for just 19 off 13 balls. As a result, RCB succumbed to a six-wicket defeat, ending their unbeaten home record.

Kohli’s Upcoming Milestone

There is a bit of personal glory on the line as well for Kohli in the upcoming match. The legendary batter is just 11 runs short of reaching 9,000 runs in the IPL – the first player to ever achieve this feat.

Kohli’s record at the Arun Jaitley Stadium gives hope that he can not only reach this mark but also far surpass it on Monday. In 11 innings at this ground, Kohli has scored 534 runs with an average of 66.75.

RCB, too, have a head-to-head advantage, winning 20 games against their opponents, compared to 13 victories for DC. However, while history and recent form lean in favour of the visitors, they must avoid being complacent against DC, who are a lethal team on their day.