- By Namrata Vijay
- Wed, 13 May 2026 10:26 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
RCB vs KKR IPL 2026: Virat Kohli made history by joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru's playing XI for their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders. He appears in his 279th tournament match, becoming the league's most capped player. Before this game, Kohli matched MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma's tally of 278 matches. Dhoni has not featured this season despite being part of the Chennai-based franchise. Rohit currently plays for the Mumbai Indians.
Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl first against the Ajinkya Rahane-led side in Raipur, aiming to capitalize on the conditions.
He explained that he expects the pitch to behave as it did in their previous match at the venue, showing bounce. He added that recent consistent performances have buoyed the team and that they aim to pressure the opponent, noting the game's importance.
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"We will bowl first. I think it's a similar wicket we played on in the last match. It will behave similarly. We will try to keep them under pressure. I think the wickets are pretty much the same. There will be variable bounce. That was a good game for us; everyone has a lot of confidence. Every game is important, we are focusing more on playing good cricket", Rajat Patidar was heard as saying at the toss.
The Rajat Patidar-led side ranks second on the points table after winning all seven of their matches. They rebounded strongly from two consecutive defeats, edging out the Mumbai-based franchise in a thrilling contest. Riding a wave of confidence, the hosts aim to secure another win and clinch playoff qualification.
KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane emphasized that they would have chosen to bowl first, as they are also in contention for the playoffs. They wanted to bowl first as well. (In with a chance for the playoffs?) Absolutely, yes. I mean, the last four games have been really good for us as a team. Everyone has started to do really well. For us, sometimes the game tells you to keep things really simple. For us, it's all about taking one game at a time, keeping it really simple," Rahane was heard as saying at the toss.
They hold eighth place in the points table, after winning four of ten matches so far. Following a sluggish start, they staged an impressive comeback, winning four straight games. They seek to extend their winning streak and challenge the hosts.