IPL 2026, RR vs RCB: Virat Kohli's warm-up electrifies Barsapara crowd - WATCH

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli mania swept through the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati ahead of the IPL 2026 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Fans waited eagerly for a glimpse of their superstar, and when he finally stepped out, the atmosphere transformed instantly.

Around 20–30 minutes before the toss, Kohli, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, walked out to the middle for his warm-up. The moment he appeared, the stadium erupted, with deafening cheers of Kohli! Kohli echoing across the stands.

However, the excitement was short-lived as players soon rushed back to the pavilion, with fans opening umbrellas as rain arrived and delayed the toss.

The forecast had looked promising earlier, but what began as a light drizzle quickly intensified, forcing the on-field umpires to call for covers. Initially, only the square was protected, but as the rain picked up, covers were spread across the entire ground.

Rajasthan Royals come into the contest on a high, sitting atop the table after wins over Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru arrive with momentum of their own, having secured back-to-back victories against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai.

Both teams possess formidable batting line-ups, though Rajasthan appear slightly more balanced with the ball under the leadership of Riyan Parag. The pace departments on either side look equally threatening, with Jacob Duffy and Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading RCB’s attack, while Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger spearhead Rajasthan’s bowling.

One of the standout stories this season has been the rapid rise of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose fearless strokeplay has lit up IPL 2026. After an impressive half-century against Chennai Super Kings, he stunned everyone by taking on Jasprit Bumrah, launching audacious sixes off his first and fourth deliveries and even taking on Trent Boult during the Powerplay.

With a knack for explosive starts, he has brushed aside any notion of second-season pressure. At the same time, Devdutt Padikkal has quietly evolved into a T20 force. Batting at No. 3, he blends technique with aggression, striking at over 200 this season while showing marked improvement against the short ball.