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Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on March 28.
Virat Kohli has urged his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammates to ‘not waste even a minute’ ahead of another grueling two months of non-stop action in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts on March 28. Having won the title for the first time in 18 years in the previous edition, pressure will heavily be on RCB as they gear up for title defence.
Unlike the previous years, RCB have started their preparation quietly, scrapping the RCB Unbox event. Addressing RCB's first practice session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli emphasized on the need to maintain top intensity that helped them winning their maiden title last season.
"We worked really hard over the last two to three seasons to achieve what we did last year, and it's only going to get tougher because other teams are going to come hard at us," Kohli told the bunch which had several new faces, alongside head coach Andy Flower.
Emphasising urgency from day one, he added, “We don't waste these days. We stay ahead. So, switch on now. Let's not waste even a minute of any session that we are a part of. We must give our 120 per cent for these two and a half months.”
Andy Flower reminds RCB of ‘new challenge’
While RCB retained the core of their squad ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, the defending champions added the likes of Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal and Satvik Deswal during the mini-auction.
According to head coach Andy Flower, their successful IPL 2025 is a story of the past. "There is one difference this year, we've got a star on our shirt. That's a very proud feeling for all RCB fans. But that season is gone. Now we have a new challenge ahead, and it's an exciting one. We're here to win this year's IPL," said the former Zimbabwean cricketer.
He also pointed out the advantage of building the momentum with a win in their campaign opener. "Our first game is here at Chinnaswamy, which is a fantastic opportunity for us to build momentum early and be welcomed by our home fans. The outfield is looking superb and beautiful," he said.
"We had an interesting auction, and I think we have improved our squad, to be quite frank. We have brought in some great new additions. Integrating them into the RCB way alongside established players led by Virat and Rajat (Patidar) is an exciting part of building this team," said Flower.
RCB's IPL 2026 schedule in first phase
| March 28 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| April 5 | Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| April 10 | Rajasthan Royals | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| April 12 | Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
RCB's IPL 2026 complete squad
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Satvik Deswal, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan.
About the Author
Koushik Paul
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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