“Woke Up and Cooked” – Internet Explodes as RCB Drop Cinematic Virat Kohli Edit

Despite rumors of Virat Kohli returning to captain RCB in 2026, the franchise dismissed the speculation, confirming Rajat Patidar role.

“Woke Up and Cooked” – Internet Explodes as RCB Drop Cinematic Virat Kohli Edit

Virat Kohli arrived in Bengaluru, a moment captured in a viral RCB edit. (via News 18)

In Short
  • Royal Challengers Bengaluru released a viral video celebrating Virat Kohli's arrival for pre-season training ahead of the 2026 IPL season.
  • RCB enters the 2026 season as defending champions after ending an 18-year trophy drought in 2025.
  • Kohli aims to become the first player to reach 9,000 career runs in IPL history during the upcoming season.

Kicking off preparations for the 2026 IPL season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrated Virat Kohli‘s arrival by releasing a viral social media edit. The RCB video grabbed fans’ attention, who have been left overjoyed ahead of what is expected to be a historic season.

RCB will enter the 2026 IPL season as defending champions for the first time. Rajat Patidar and Co. defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in the 2025 final, ending an 18-year-long trophy drought. RCB currently hold both the IPL and WPL trophies simultaneously, making them the only side in Indian franchise cricket history to do so. Nine months on, preparations have already begun for the upcoming 2026 IPL season. 

The Bengaluru-based franchise is, moreover, unimaginable without Virat Kohli. The 37-year-old cricketing icon, who only remains active for a few months a year, announced his arrival for the pre-season training camp in style. A small but passionate crowd of RCB fans gathered outside the Kempegowda International Airport as early as 4 AM on Wednesday morning to welcome the player, who had arrived from London.

Kohli headed directly towards the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru for his first training session with teammates and staff. The former India captain’s return to the city, which many consider his second home, was celebrated in a spectacular video shared by the franchise on social media.

Kohli conveyed a message to the entire RCB community in the clip, highlighting his intent, and finished by reminding fans, in Kannada, about IPL 2026, signifying the ‘same chapter’ with a ‘new story’. 

RCB captioned the video by highlighting the city’s love for its ‘True King’, and even encouraged fans to be prepared for the franchise’s 19th season with Kohli. The viral edit focused on the right-hander’s status as a ‘one-team man’ as well.

The training session also marked an emotional homecoming for the franchise to the Chinnaswamy, which had been under suspension after a tragic stampede that occurred outside the venue during the 2025 title celebrations. 

The upcoming 2026 Indian Premier League season offers Virat Kohli a chance to achieve a major personal landmark. He only needs 339 more runs to become the first player in the history of the tournament to reach 9,000 career runs.

RCB’s viral Virat Kohli ‘King’ edit sends fans into a frenzy on social media

RCB fans were sent into a frenzy after the franchise shared a remarkable edit of Virat Kohli‘s arrival in the city for pre-season training. The franchise’s official social media accounts have been active for a while now, after the long silence since the stampede last year. 

Virat Kohli fans RCB
Fans were left stunned at an RCB edit on team icon Virat Kohli. (via X)

Fans shared their reactions to Kohli’s exit, with some of them pointing to how loyal the 37-year-old Indian batting great has been to a single franchise in the IPL. Kohli is, in fact, the only player to have represented one single IPL franchise, RCB, since the tournament’s inception in 2008. A few others hailed how the 2026 season could kick-start the countdown of his retirement from the sport, given that he is in his late 30s. 

Some fans exclaimed that Kohli is, in fact, the heartbeat of RCB. One fan shared that he has been carrying the franchise’s burden on his shoulders for years now, highlighting his passion, dedication, consistency, and mentality. Critics, however, were quick to suggest that other legends of the IPL, primarily CSK’s MS Dhoni and MI’s Rohit Sharma, would prevail over Bengaluru in the upcoming 2026 season. 

The defending champions are set to start their 2026 campaign on March 28 with a home match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Following this, RCB will host arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 5.

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