India, March 28 -- Virat Kohli showed he is as formidable as ever in IPL 2026, returning to competitive cricket after more than two months and looking in complete control. He smashed an unbeaten 69 to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru comfortably through a 202-run chase in the season opener vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, reinforcing his reputation as a 'chase master'. Kohli faced 38 balls, striking five fours and five sixes, combining timing and power with ease. His impressive strike rate of 181.58 ensured RCB chased the target with 4.2 overs to spare. The dominant innings not only secured a convincing win but also gave RCB a strong start to the season, boosting their net run rate and setting the tone for their title defence in style.

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