‘Am I an Overseas Player?’: RCB Star Virat Kohli Laughs Off London Base Jibes Amid IPL 2026 (WATCH)

Former RCB captain Virat Kohli humorously responded to social media jokes about him being an 'overseas player' due to his London base. After returning to the IPL with a match-winning knock, Kohli's focus remains on white-ball cricket, showcasing excellent form since his Test retirement as he aims for the 2027 World Cup.

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain and star batter Virat Kohli laughed off social media chatter about his London base amid the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli returned to action in the RCB’s opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Kohli played a match-winning, unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 balls, including 5 sixes and as many as fours, at a strike rate of 181.58 to help the RCB chase down a 202-run target with 26 balls to spare. This was his first competitive outing in two months, with his last appearance being the ODI series against New Zealand in January.

Moreover, the veteran batter returned to T20 cricket after nearly a year, with his last outing in the format being in the IPL 2025 final, where RCB defeated Punjab Kings to clinch their maiden triumph of the tournament.

‘I’m Not An Overseas Player’

Amid the IPL 2026, Virat Kohli found himself at the centre of online chatter about his stay in London, with some fans jokingly suggesting that RCB were fielding an extra overseas player. Mr Nags, aka Danish Sait, took a hilarious dig at the veteran batter, joking about the team fielding five overseas players in the playing XI.

In a video posted by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on its X handle, Mr Nags hilariously raised the ‘five overseas players’ joke, which Kohli immediately sensed was aimed at him, prompting a cheeky reply that quickly went viral on social media.

“I don’t know, why are you asking me? Ask the overseas players. I am not an overseas player. Am I an overseas player?” Kohli said.

Following his retirement from Test cricket in May last year, Virat Kohli and his family, including his actress wife Anushka Sharma and their two children, shifted to London to enjoy a more private life away from constant public scrutiny in India and to provide their children with a more normal upbringing.

10 days before the RCB’s opening IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Virat Kohli arrived in Bengaluru from London for the pre-season training camp, quickly getting back into rhythm with the squad ahead of the title defence.

Virat Kohli’s White-Ball Dominance Since His Test Retirement

Virat Kohli’s 69-run knock in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s opening IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad was his continuation of fine white-ball form since stepping away from Test cricket. Kohli retired from Tests and T20Is and is focusing solely on ODIs, intending to extend his career till the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Before his return to T20 cricket in the ongoing IPL season, Kohli played three ODI series against Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, and amassed 616 runs, including 3 centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 88 in 9 matches. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, representing Delhi, he scored 131 and 77 against Andhra and Gujarat, respectively, underlining his rich vein of form heading into the IPL.

Since the veteran batter is playing only one format at the international level, his workload has significantly reduced, allowing him to stay fresh and extend his white-ball cricket. The IPL 2026 serves as a crucial platform for Virat Kohli as the BCCI selectors are expected to keep a close watch on his performance, form, and consistency to determine his role in India’s 2027 World Cup plans.

Virat Kohli will return to action when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on the Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, April 5.