'Some players would be happy with 500 runs season': RCB Director takes cheeky dig while hailing Virat Kohli's 'Ridiculous' 18-year legacy goes viral

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As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prepares for the 2026 Indian Premier League season, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat has lauded the unparalleled consistency of Virat Kohli. Having represented the franchise for 18 consecutive seasons, Kohli has solidified his status as the cornerstone of the team, amassing an astounding 8,661 runs with eight centuries and 63 fifties to his name.

A Career of "Ridiculous" Consistency

Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Bobat highlighted the statistical anomaly that is Kohli’s career. Over nearly two decades, the former captain has maintained a level of performance that most players struggle to achieve even in their peak years.

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"Virat Kohli, obviously, I think he'll forever be the icon and the hero of this team. I don't think that's going to go away, and he deserves that. His track record is incredible. I remember at one point last season seeing his stats when he got to however many runs it was, close to 9,000 runs, 18 years wearing just one shirt. That's 500 runs a season," Mo Bobat remarked. He further elaborated on the magnitude of this feat, stating: "It's actually ridiculous. For seven years or something like that, some players would be happy with a 500-run season. He averages 500 runs a season for 18 years. It's actually ridiculous. So, you can't ignore that."

The Strategic Shift to an Indian Captain

The franchise enters the 2026 season in the unique position of defending champions, having finally lifted the trophy in 2025. This success followed a bold leadership change where Rajat Patidar replaced Faf du Plessis as captain just before the start of the previous season. Bobat revealed that the decision to move on from a "champion person" like Faf was one of the most difficult of his career.

"We spent a lot of time thinking about that captaincy decision. I don't mind saying in my career there aren't that many decisions that I've thought about as long and as deeply as that one. And the thinking started in the season before. We were very blessed to have someone like Faf du Plessis as our captain. Everybody knows what a champion person Faf is. He was still a player doing the business at that stage as well. We could have easily just rolled him over and continued with Faf, having built a strong connection and relationship and trust with him," Bobat explained.

However, the director noted that the "ruthless" nature of professional sports necessitated a reset. "But sport is pretty ruthless. You've got to look at the reality of his age and stage. And again, I mentioned earlier, the big auction gave us a chance to do a bit of a reset. We felt like having an Indian captain was really important. It's an Indian competition, so having an Indian captain I think is really important," he added.

Chasing the Second Star

Despite the historic breakthrough last year, Bobat is determined to ensure the team does not become complacent. He is instilling an aggressive mindset in the squad as they look to build a dynasty around their long-standing icon.

"We're not defending champions. We're not defending anything. We might be current champions, but I don't want us to have a mindset of us defending anything. We're attacking. We're chasing something else. We're chasing back to back wins," Bobat concluded.

With the 2026 auction approaching, the management’s focus remains on constructing a squad capable of honoring Kohli’s dedication with further silverware, ensuring the "hero of the team" adds more trophies to his legendary 18 year journey in the RCB red and gold.