IPL 2026: “Just go out there and enjoy” – AB de Villiers’ advice to Virat Kohli

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli
AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli (PC: BCCI/IPL)

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer, AB de Villiers has expressed his full support for Virat Kohli ahead of the IPL 2026. He believes the Indian star batter will return sharper than ever despite a break from cricket since January.

Speaking on JioStar, de Villiers emphasised Kohli’s unmatched discipline and preparation, dismissing concerns about rustiness heading into the tournament.

“First of all, he has the best work ethic I have ever seen in my life. So, he will not come into the tournament undercooked. If he doesn’t play well, it will purely be down to form or maybe a technical error. I am expecting a great season from him. I can only imagine how hyped he must be after getting quite a bit of rest.”

The former RCB stalwart also highlighted the mindset within the squad, suggesting the team could be entering a dominant phase in the competition. Having won the title last year, they would want to continue that momentum. He recalled Kohli’s long-standing ambition of building a legacy of consistent title wins.

“Virat will most definitely be ready, there is no doubt about it, and RCB can actually go back-to-back. You will remember him speaking about it often in the dressing room, ‘If we can win one, we are going to win two, three, four quickly.’ I truly believe that. I feel RCB are in that zone now where they can go bang, bang, bang, perhaps two or three trophies in a row, who knows.”

De Villiers also shared a simple piece of advice for his former teammate and friend.

“I am just hoping for a really good start this season, I think that will be important for them. My advice to Virat would be to just go out there and enjoy.”

RCB, the defending champions, will begin their title defence journey in Bengaluru on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

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The post IPL 2026: “Just go out there and enjoy” – AB de Villiers’ advice to Virat Kohli appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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