Virat Kohli Urges RCB Teammates To 'Switch On' And Not Waste 'Even A Minute' Ahead Of IPL Title Defence

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to commence from March 28. As the season draws near, teams have already kickstarted their preparations with the pre-season camps. Most of the Indian players have joined in and overseas players are arriving. Under the observation of coaches, teams are building up their intensity ahead of the season and are also working on their combinations and skills.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) also started their training. The training sessions are being led by head coach Andy Flower and director of cricket Mo Bobat. The camp features a mix of core players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Devdutt Padikkal, along with new signings such as Venkatesh Iyer and Krunal Pandya.

While captain Rajat Patidar has joined the group, the team is still awaiting the arrival of several overseas players whose travel has been delayed by international logistics. Josh Hazlewood and Nuwan Thushara are recovering from injuries and their joining will be delayed.

Virat Kohli Addresses RCB Teammates

Virat Kohli on Saturday urged his Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammates to "switch on" themselves and not waste even a minute at the training sessions as they gear up for their IPL title defence.

Addressing the squad during their first practice session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli underlined the need to maintain the intensity that brought them the title last year.

"We worked really hard over the last two to three seasons to achieve what we did last year, and it's only going to get tougher because other teams are going to come hard at us," Kohli said.

RCB will open their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Emphasising urgency from day one, he added, "We don't waste these days. We stay ahead. So, switch on now. Let's not waste even a minute of any session that we are a part of. We must give our 120 per cent for these two and a half months." RCB added Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal and Satvik Deswal to their squad at the auction.

Andy Flower Satisfied With RCB Squad

Head coach Andy Flower expressed satisfaction with the squad assembled after the auction, saying the franchise had strengthened key areas.

"We had an interesting auction and I think we've improved our squad, to be quite frank. We've brought in some great new additions. Integrating them into the RCB way alongside established players led by Virat and Rajat is an exciting part of building this team," Flower said.

Highlighting the significance of being reigning champions, Flower said the team would embrace the challenge rather than dwell on past success.

"There is one difference this year, we've got a star on our shirt. That's a very proud feeling for all RCB fans. But that season is gone. Now we have a new challenge ahead, and it's an exciting one. We're here to win this year's IPL," he added.

Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma spoke about the positive atmosphere within the group as new and old members came together.

"Everyone was very excited to meet each other. I was excited to get more batting time. I got a chance to meet all the coaches and train again," he said.

Flower also pointed to the advantage of beginning their campaign at home.

"Our first game is here at Chinnaswamy, which is a fantastic opportunity for us to build momentum early and be welcomed by our home fans. The outfield is looking superb, lush, green and beautiful," he said.

M Chinnaswamy Stadium Cleared For RCB Home Matches

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has officially received clearance from the Karnataka government to host RCB’s home matches for IPL 2026. This decision follows months of rigorous safety audits and infrastructure upgrades after a tragic stampede during the team's 2025 title celebrations. The stadium has undergone significant changes, including the widening of existing gates and the addition of six new entry points to ensure smoother crowd management.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad For IPL 2026

Rajat Patidar (c), Jordan Cox, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer, Vihaan Malhotra, Mangesh Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Abhinandan Singh, Satvik Deswal, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vicky Ostwal, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Yash Dayal

(With PTI Inputs)