Virat Kohli once again showed why he remains one of the best players in the IPL, as he played an unbeaten 69 to help RCB chase down 202 comfortably. After a long break from T20 cricket, he looked at his best and played a key role in the team’s strong start to the 2026 season.Former South Africa spinner Dale Steyn praised Kohli’s growth as a batsman, particularly his improved ability to hit sixes in recent seasons. “A lot of players, when they reach Virat Kohli’s level right now, are looking to change their game by a few percent. That’s what Virat has been doing in every season of the IPL. He is looking for ways to improve himself and the new improvement he has made in his game is his ability to hit sixes, which has increased over the last two seasons,” Steyn said on JioStar.
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Steyn also explained how Kohli’s mentality has changed over time, adding: “In the past, Virat had a specific mentality to play a particular shot. But now, his mentality has changed a lot after retiring from Test cricket. Virat is so good and supports himself so much that he is able to pull off aerial shots over and over again. This just shows the skill of the man.”The stats also show that Kohli has become more attacking in the powerplay over the years.
His intent had steadily increased, making him even more dangerous at the top.Devdutt Padikkal highlighted how Kohli’s presence helped him play freely during the chase. “When I came out to bat, Virat bhai’s only instructions were to keep the run rate high and put pressure on the bowlers. My job was to take risks while he chased. His presence took the pressure off me and allowed me to bowl freely,” Padikkal said after the match.“The credit for the development and improvement of my game goes to our head coach Andy Flower and our batting coach Dinesh Karthik. They have worked really hard with me.”