IPL 2026: Virat Kohli motivates RCB squad after thrilling victory against MI - Watch

Virat Kohli addressed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru dressing room after their dramatic two-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2026 clash that went down to the final ball on Sunday (May 10). Despite being dismissed for a golden duck, Kohli applauded the team’s resilience and highlighted the contributions of players like Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

“Hey guys, I’m gonna keep it short. I’m gonna wrap it up tonight. Thanks, Andy (Flower), for giving me a chance to do something in the game today," Kohli jocked.

“But guys, look, if you want to win multi-team competitions, we need a team. We need a game like that. We need to scrap for a win. We need to fight hard."

“And we know the feeling in the group. We’re just talking about the game, how we started off, I think again. Bhuvi, brilliant in the Power Play Movie or your execution, your skills, you are absolutely world-class. I think it was a sixth three-wicket haul of the season, 11 games, which is crazy," kohli added.

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Bhuvneshwar said: “The good thing is that whatever I’m doing or trying to do it, it’s happening. And I think it’s all about confidence. When you start IPL, you go through a couple of good matches, then your confidence goes up. And I think, yes, I don’t want to change it, but whatever I’m trying to do, it’s happening. It’s execution is spot on, getting wickets and, of course, getting help from fielders to catch those crucial touches. So yes, I mean things work out."

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Kohli further praised the RCB bowlers, saying: “Shefi (Romario Shepherd), the way you bowl tonight, what stop notch and you showed us what you can do when you feel confident with the ball in hand and you can hit your areas. You have the skill, and we all back you to execute your skills every time. So well done on that."

Speaking about the chase, Kohli admitted RCB did not begin well with the bat but admired how the middle order responded. He referenced earlier matches where players like Rajat Patidar and Tim David had rescued difficult situations and said the partnership between Krunal and Tim David was crucial in turning the game around.

“I think it’s the best ideal knock. So far from what I’ve seen, we’ve played a lot of knocks under pressure, but I think tonight was special. We’re struggling with bouncing balls hitting you. You know, keeping low, bouncing up, but you never made an excuse. You just showed us how to grind, how to stay in there, find a solution, find a way. And even when you were cramping, those two sixes were actually the difference in the game, where you could have easily said, I can’t carry on, but, you know, you found the strength to carry on for the future. We can take a lot of inspiration from that," Kohli added.

Bhuvneshwar also called Krunal’s innings “match-winning" and admired the way Krunal paced the chase, selected the right bowlers to attack and built partnerships smartly.

“I think it was, it was amazing. It was match-winning, of course, the way he was cramping, but still getting things sixes, and more than anything, success. What was very nice to see is that he played the situation. He took few balls, he picked his bowlers, and of course, the way he betted with Bethel, the way they talked, we can literally sense from outside that they have some purpose. They bet it few hours, and then they went in the last few hours. So yes, it was amazing to see," he said.

Looking ahead, Kohli turned the team’s focus to their next IPL fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 13.

“We had no right to lose five hours to go, we had no right to win, and then we ended up winning. So I think this wins gonna boost our confidence, and then we come back in what two days, three days time, and we hunt those two points again, on to the next one boys," he signed off.