IPL 2026 Final: How Did Virat Kohli Perform in RCB's Title Clashes? Check Out the Stats Here

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, aiming to secure back-to-back titles. While Virat Kohli enters the final in sublime form with 600 runs this season, his historically modest performances in four previous title clashes set the stage for a crucial, high-stakes performance.

Virat Kohli to Play his Fifth IPL Final vs GT

Image Credit: ANI

The defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns with the Gujarat Titans (GT) in a much-anticipated and high-stakes IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31.

Bengaluru outfit will play their fifth final in their IPL history, seeking to defend their maiden title secured in 2025. Throughout their previous four appearances, the team experienced heartbreak in 2009, 2011, and 2016, before finally lifting the trophy last year. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to become only the second team in IPL history, after the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, to successfully defend their title.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans are set to face off for the fourth time in the IPL 2026, having previously encountered each other twice in the league stage and once in Qualifier 1.

Virat Kohli, Enters Final in Sublime

Virat Kohli has been the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting mainstay over the past several IPL seasons, and the ongoing edition of the tournament has been no different, as he enters the final in sublime form. The 37-year-old, who played a pivotal role in the RCB’s maiden title triumph last year, has continued to be the engine room of their batting lineup in 2026.

Despite returning to T20 cricket following his retirement from the international format in June 2024, Kohli has transitioned seamlessly into his role with the RCB, proving that his appetite for runs remains insatiable. While he concluded his T20I career on a high note with a T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, his commitment to the IPL remains unwavering, and his performance this season suggests that he is still at the absolute peak of his powers.

In the first half of the IPL 2026, Kohli registered scores of 69, 28, 32, 50, 49, 19, and 81, aggregating 328 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 54.67 and an explosive strike rate of 165.66. In the next 8 outings, including Qualifier 2, the veteran batter scored 23, 28, 0, 0, 105, 58, 15, and 43, amassing 272 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 162.87.

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Comparing the two halves of his 19th season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Virat Kohli has maintained a remarkable consistency, proving that his aggressive new approach is sustainable even under the pressure of a long tournament.

Though there is a slight dip in his batting average and strike rate because of two consecutive ducks, his ability to bounce back, highlighted by a magnificent century against KKR and a vital contribution in the lead-up to the final, demonstrates his enduring class. With 600 runs in 15 matches, Kohli enters his fifth IPL final looking to translate his season's high-intent approach into a match-defining performance on the biggest stage.

How Did Virat Kohli Perform in RCB’s Title Clashes?

In the previous 18 seasons, Virat Kohli reached the IPL finals only four times, despite his consistent role as the team's primary batting engine. The former RCB captain finally got hold of the coveted IPL trophy last year in a landmark 2025 campaign that ended the franchise's long wait for silverware.

However, Virat Kohli’s performance in the IPL finals has been quite modest compared to his usual high standards. In his previous four title clashes, the veteran batter scored a half-century only once.

• 2009: Kohli scored 7 off 8 balls against the Deccan Chargers. RCB fell just seven runs short of the 144-run target
• 2011: He contributed 35 off 32 balls against the Chennai Super Kings, but again found his team on the losing side, as the Chennai outfit successfully defended their title.
• 2016: As a captain, Kohli recorded his maiden fifty in the IPL final, scoring 54 off 35 balls against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, RCB once again finished as the runners-up, despite Virat Kohli’s record 973-run season.
• 2024: In his first final since stepping down as RCB captain, Virat Kohli scored 43 off 35 balls against the Punjab Kings, playing a pivotal role in anchoring the innings and helping the team set a competitive total in their title-winning campaign.

Across four IPL Finals, Virat Kohli aggregated 139 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 34.75 and a strike rate of 126.36. In the fifth final appearance of his illustrious IPL career, Kohli will look to translate his season's high-intent approach into a match-defining performance on the biggest stage, aiming to lead the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to back-to-back titles.