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IPL 2026: Virat Kohli not in XI as RCB opt to bowl against LSG
TL;DR
Virat Kohli is not in the starting XI for RCB against LSG due to an ankle injury but is available as an Impact Player. RCB captain Rajat Patidar chose to bowl first based on favorable pitch conditions.
NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli was not included in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s starting XI against Lucknow Super Giants in Bengaluru, but he was named among the Impact Players, meaning he could still come in to bat if needed.
His absence at the start comes after he picked up an ankle injury in RCB’s previous match against the Mumbai Indians, where they secured an 18-run win. Kohli and Philip Salt had been forming a steady opening pair, so his limited role slightly affects the team’s balance.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar opted to bowl first, trusting the pitch conditions to help early on. "We're gonna bowl first. It's pretty obvious. I see a pretty good surface," Patidar said at the toss.
"So, we bowl first and take the advantage of the first innings and keep the pressure. Not much (on the pitch). The previous game was having a lot of grass. But I think this wicket, I think there is no grass. So, it will be a good track. But yeah, let's see."
On the other side, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant sounded confident despite his team’s inconsistent run so far.
"We're pretty confident, [it's a] good batting pitch. Regardless of whether we bat first or second, we need to do well," he added.
"We don't want too much introspection; put trust in your team and do well. There are a lot of leaders in the group, so go out and perform well. Same team for us."
RCB made one change, bringing in Josh Hazlewood. Patidar said, "I think everyone is doing pretty much good for the team… Just one change. Josh Hazlewood comes in place of Duffy."
With Kohli still available as an Impact Player despite his recent injury, and both teams eager to climb the table, the contest remains evenly poised.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav
Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Manimaran Siddharth, George Linde, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Mayank Yadav
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact subs: Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Jordan Cox, Kanishk Chouhan, Mangesh Yadav
Q&A
Why is Virat Kohli not playing in the starting XI for RCB against LSG?
Virat Kohli is not playing in the starting XI due to an ankle injury he sustained in the previous match against the Mumbai Indians.
What does it mean for Virat Kohli to be named among the Impact Players?
Being named among the Impact Players means Virat Kohli can still come in to bat during the match if needed, despite not starting in the XI.
What did RCB captain Rajat Patidar say about the pitch conditions?
Rajat Patidar stated that he chose to bowl first because he saw a good surface and wanted to take advantage of the first innings pressure.