IPL 2026: Sanjay Manjrekar urges RCB not to rely too much on Virat Kohli in playoffs: ‘Everything does not hinge on him’

As the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) gear up for the IPL 2026 playoffs, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has given them a timely warning.

Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) should not be too dependent on Virat Kohli as they look to secure back-to-back IPL titles.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will lock horns against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 in Dharamsala on Tuesday.

While the atmospheric venue promises plenty of excitement, RCB’s collective depth will be tested against the Gujarat Titans.

Virat Kohli is currently RCB's leading run-getter in IPL 2026 with 557 runs from 14 matches, whereas Devdutt Padikkal has also stepped up nicely and is the team's second-highest run-getter with 433 runs from 14 matches.

Speaking on a Sportstar podcast, Sanjay Manjrekar has emphasised that RCB’s key to success will be a balanced approach rather than relying on one individual.

According to Manjrekar, Kohli’s concern is not his form, but rather his mindset when the stakes get sky-high.

Despite his mediocre record in IPL knockout matches, Virat Kohli still has a history of single-handedly taking the match away from the opposition in knockout matches of major tournaments.

Manjrekar urged Kohli to play in the same fashion. “It is important for Virat to keep playing in the same fashion, because he has a tendency in the final stages to take too much of the onus on himself, and if he does that, that is dangerous territory for RCB to be in. So, I think they should keep the same template,” he added.

While Virat Kohli's consistency in the IPL across the years is unquestionable, his record in IPL playoffs states otherwise. He has scored just 396 runs from 17 matches at a strike rate of 121.1 in the IPL playoffs. This includes just two half-centuries and one duck.

In IPL 2025, the 37-year-old scored a run-a-ball 12 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1, and a 35-ball 43 against the same opponents in the final. RCB will hope that Virat Kohli comes good in the IPL 2026 playoffs this time around as the reigning champions look to reach a second straight IPL final.

Kohli has won the Orange Cap twice. He first won the Orange Cap award in IPL 2016, when he aggregated a record 973 runs. He won the award again in IPL 2024, when he scored 741 runs.