Virat Kohli started preparations for IPL 2026, held a secret meeting in England

New Delhi- Royal Challengers Bangalore are back in action, ending their unbeaten run in the Indian Premier League. The most followed T20 franchise will enter the IPL season as the defending champions for the first time, and the pressure will once again be on them to dominate the tournament.

With the next IPL auction a few months away, the management has likely started its preparations. In a recent post shared on RCB’s social media, head coach Andy Flower and Mo Bobat (Director of Cricket), Prathmesh Mishra (President) and Rajesh V Menon (Vice President) were seen posing for a photo with the caption, “Reset Refocus Restart Think Tank Mission Reunites for IPL 2026.”

A discussion with Virat Kohli!

Although it is not mentioned, this photo which includes the top management officials of RCB was probably taken in London. Mo Bobat is also the Director of Cricket for London Spirits in The Hundred. If so, it is likely that Virat Kohli will also be a part of RCB’s talks. After all, he is still the face of the franchise. Virat has spent his entire IPL career with the Red and Gold team. He was retained till 2027 for ₹21 crore and was one of those who supported RCB’s decision to appoint Rajat Patidar as captain. We all know he lives in London now; A few days ago, a photo with his wife Anushka Sharma also went viral.

Virat in the trophy victory

Kohli also played a key role in RCB’s IPL 2025 win, scoring 657 runs at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71. Kohli ended the season as the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament and the highest run-scorer for his team. He scored eight fifties, often serving as the unifying force of the team. Last season, RCB covered almost all the bases. However, they may still consider someone like Cameron Greene, who will be one of the highest selling players in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.