All eyes will once again be on Virat Kohli when Royal Challengers Bengaluru walk out at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, May 31.
RCB, who spent 18 long years searching for answers and chasing the elusive IPL trophy, now have an opportunity to script another historic chapter. After finally ending their title drought in 2025, the Bengaluru-based franchise now stands one win away from becoming only the third team in IPL history after CSK and MI to successfully defend their crown.
Virat Kohli has produced countless memorable performances throughout his career, especially in pressure situations, knockout matches and international finals. Time and again, he has risen when his team needed him the most.
However, the story has been slightly different in IPL finals.
Despite featuring in four IPL finals so far, Kohli has managed only one half-century. While he has contributed useful runs on a few occasions, his overall impact and strike rate in title clashes has not matched the extraordinarily high standards he has set throughout his career.
Even during RCB's triumphant IPL 2025 campaign, Kohli's innings in the final drew mixed reactions. Several cricket experts termed his knock slightly sluggish, although Bengaluru eventually managed to get over the line and lift their maiden IPL trophy.
Virat Kohli's overall record in IPL finals
- Innings: 4
- Runs: 139
- Average: 34.75
- Strike Rate: 127.52
- Highest Score: 54
- 50s: 1
Here's the breakdown of Virat Kohli's all IPL Final innings:
IPL 2009 Final - RCB vs Deccan Chargers
Score: 7 (8)
Kohli's first IPL final did not go as planned. Chasing 144, RCB suffered a batting collapse and the young batter could manage only seven runs before being stumped off Andrew Symonds' bowling. RCB eventually lost the final by six runs.
IPL 2011 Final - RCB vs Chennai Super Kings
Score: 35 (32)
Chasing a massive target of 205, RCB lost Chris Gayle in the first over. Kohli tried to rebuild the innings and scored 35 runs but could not take his side close to the target. Chennai won the final comfortably by 58 runs.
IPL 2016 Final - RCB vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
Score: 54 (35)
This remains Kohli's best knock in an IPL final. He shared a 114-run opening partnership with Chris Gayle and scored a fluent half-century while chasing 209. However, his dismissal shifted the momentum and RCB eventually fell short by eight runs.
IPL 2025 Final - RCB vs Punjab Kings
Score: 43 (35)
Kohli top-scored for RCB with 43 runs in the IPL 2025 final. Although the innings received criticism for its slow pace, it helped RCB post a competitive total. He was dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai before RCB went on to defend the score and lift their maiden IPL title.
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