New Delhi, March 12 (NationPress) Irfan Pathan, the former left-arm pacer of India, emphasized that the iconic Virat Kohli will be more determined than ever to secure consecutive titles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the Royal Challengers Bangalore's maiden championship victory in 2025.

Kohli was instrumental in RCB’s triumph in IPL 2025, scoring 43 runs in the final against Punjab Kings and finishing the season as the team's top scorer with a total of 657 runs in 15 matches.

“The drive in Virat Kohli will be palpable. He will indeed be hungrier than ever, especially after hoisting the IPL trophy last season. Kohli's desire to achieve and make a difference is something that will always be present,” Pathan remarked during an interview on JioStar.

Pathan also highlighted Kohli’s enthusiasm in his latest international performances. “We noticed his eagerness during his appearances for India, particularly in the one-day series against South Africa and New Zealand. He seems determined to leave a mark in every match. I anticipate he will carry that same fervor into this season, aiming to lift the trophy once again,” he added.

The RCB will kick off IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The Karnataka government recently authorized the venue to host IPL matches after no competitive cricket occurred following a tragic incident that claimed 11 lives during the IPL victory celebrations in June 2025.

Matches at the Chinnaswamy will proceed only with clearance from an expert committee set up by the Karnataka state government. Pathan expressed confidence in left-handed batsman Devdutt Padikkal, predicting he will play a crucial role in RCB’s journey, especially after scoring 247 runs in ten games at an impressive strike rate of 150.60.

"Devdutt Padikkal is poised to be a key player for RCB in IPL 2026. He has been scoring runs consistently in domestic cricket across all formats. He appears to have significantly improved. There were periods when he faced challenges with his timing, but those days are behind him. Now, he is a different and much more confident player,” Pathan noted.

Pathan further observed that RCB has evolved from relying on Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle to becoming a more well-rounded team. “What I appreciate about RCB now is that they no longer depend exclusively on Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle for victories. Their entire playing XI is filled with match-winners, which is fantastic,” he added.

He also mentioned that RCB has strong backup options should the injury-prone Josh Hazlewood be unavailable for the tournament. “As we head into IPL 2026, RCB will face some injury concerns, particularly regarding Josh Hazlewood's fitness. The silver lining is that they have secured capable replacements. The pair of Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy could effectively fill in for Hazlewood if he encounters fitness problems, further strengthening RCB,” he concluded.