How long will Virat Kohli play for RCB? CEO Rajesh Menon answers

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) CEO Rajesh Menon has expressed confidence that Virat Kohli will continue playing for the franchise for at least the next three to four years, while also insisting that RCB cannot envision a future without the batting icon being associated with the team, even after his playing career comes to an end.

Kohli once again enjoyed an outstanding IPL campaign in 2026, finishing as RCB's leading run-scorer with 675 runs at a strike rate of 165.84 — the highest strike rate of his IPL career in a single season.

He capped off the season with an unbeaten 75 in the final, guiding RCB to a successful title defence and making them only the third franchise after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to retain the IPL trophy.


“RCB and Virat are different sides of the same coin,” Menon told CNBC TV18.

“He has been the constant factor for RCB throughout. We have not seen him not being part of RCB even if he moves out of his cricketing career. We have to figure out. That said, next three-four years, I am sure he'll be playing ... for at least four years. He is fit, the hunger never dies. You saw him this IPL season bring on the energy, runs, attitude….everything was there. Three-four years, absolutely no problem,” he said.

Kohli has been with the Bengaluru franchise since the inaugural IPL season in 2008 and remains its biggest icon. Despite stepping away from Test and T20I cricket, the 37-year-old has repeatedly underlined that his passion for the sport remains as strong as ever.

“I just give my heart and soul out there on the field, whether I'm fielding or batting, because it's going to finish one day,” Kohli had said last month. “And I want to make the most of every day that I'm on the field and just enjoy myself and have a lot of fun and look forward to a pressure situation, look forward to scenarios where I'm feeling a bit of heat. And then I challenge myself to say, you know what, just go for it. And when you cross the line, it makes you a better player.

“And sport, as you know, teaches you a lot as a person as well. So you build your character slowly and surely when you keep performing under pressure. And for me, even after all these years and numbers and whatever you said, it's still the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. And that joy is still there.”

Kohli has already stated that he intends to continue playing ODI cricket at least until the 2027 ODI World Cup.

He missed India's recent ODI series against Afghanistan because of a hamstring injury, but chief selector Ajit Agarkar expects him to regain full fitness ahead of the ODI series against England in July.

“We're in mid-2026. I have been asked many times, 'Do you want to play in 2027?' Why would I leave home, get my stuff over and be like 'I don't know what I want'?” Kohli had said on the RCB podcast. “Of course, if I'm playing, I want to play cricket, I want to carry on. Playing a World Cup for India is amazing.”

Kohli also reiterated that he has no desire to play in an environment where he constantly has to justify his place in the side.

“My perspective is very clear,” Kohli said. “If I can add value to the environment that I'm a part of and the environment feels like I can add value, I'll be seen.

“If I'm made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I'm not in that space. And because I'm being honest about my preparation, I'm being honest about how I approach the game. I put my head down, I work hard. I'm very thankful to God for giving me everything that I've been given in my cricketing career. And I feel very blessed and grateful for the opportunity.

“And when I arrive to play, I put my head down, I work as hard if not harder than anyone else. And I play the game in the right way. You want me to run boundary to boundary for 40 overs in an ODI game, I will do that without complaint. Because I prepare accordingly. I prepare for the fact that I will field 50 overs, every ball like it's the last ball I'm going to play in my career. And I will bat that way. And I will run between the wickets that way. And I will do everything possible for the team.

“After operating like this, if I have to be in a place where I have to prove my worth and value, that place is not meant for me. And I am very clear in my head from that perspective. That's why when I went back to play, I was very clear in my head that I'm not going out there to prove anything to anyone. I'm going to play because I love playing the game.”