Virat Kohli, the only player who has played for a single franchise in the IPL since 2008, might retire from the league ahead of the upcoming season. The rumours are suggesting that Kohli has refused to renew a commercial contract with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise. According to RevSportz journalist Rohit Juglan, Kohli was set to review the contract for IPL 2026; however, he has not done it yet.
“Last time before the mega-auction, I got the lead that before the start of the next season of the IPL (that is in 2026), Virat Kohli would have to renew a contract in association with a brand. But the news is, he has not renewed his contract. Now the speculation is that Virat wants the RCB franchise to plan their way ahead without using his face,” Zee News quoted Rohit Juglan as saying.
It is further reported that Kohli was offered to lead the franchise last season. However, he declined the offer and instead put forward Rajat Patidar’s name to captain the side. Under Patidar, RCB created history as they lifted the IPL trophy for the first time.
“Even last year, ahead of the mega-auction, when he was offered captaincy of the RCB side, he did not show interest in it and rather pined for Rajat Patidar and backed him with utter confidence,” Rohit added.
Kohli To Retire From IPL After He Is Done With International Cricket: Reports
Rohit also mentioned that Kohli won’t play in the IPL after retiring from international cricket, like MS Dhoni is doing. “Virat won’t act like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. I am not criticizing Dhoni; I just mean that, like, MS Dhoni retired from T20 internationals in 2020 and is still continuing with the IPL in 2025 and is expected to play in 2026 as well. Virat Kohli is not likely to continue so long once he retires from One-Days for the national side,” said Rohit on his YouTube channel.
Kohli is the leading run-scorer in the IPL and has amassed 8661 runs in 267 games at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 132.85. He has hit eight centuries and 63 half-centuries. He has finished as the leading run-scorer in a season twice and has won the Orange Cap each time. His best performance came during the 2016 season, when he ended up scoring 973 runs in 16 games, and it is still the highest runs made by a batter in a season in the IPL.
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