NEW DELHI: The mere presence of Virat Kohli in the dressing room is enough to lift standards. His intensity, work ethic and never-say-die attitude to win have long made him the heartbeat of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and IPL 2026 was no different. Kohli played a pivotal role in RCB’s second consecutive IPL title triumph, finishing as the franchise’s highest run-scorer and the fourth-highest overall in the tournament. The batting superstar scored 675 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.85, including a match-winning 75 in the final against Gujarat Titans. RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya, who was part of the franchise’s back-to-back title-winning campaigns in 2025 and 2026, spoke at length about Kohli’s influence on the team and his own career during an interaction as Guest Sports Editor at The Times of India.Asked about Kohli’s impact on the group, particularly when it comes to fitness and motivation, Krunal said the former India captain inspires everyone simply by the way he conducts himself.“He leads by example. The hunger he still has to perform and win is inspiring. Sometimes people get satisfied after one or two successes, but then you see someone who has made excellence a habit. You can still see his love for the game. If that love and hunger remain constant, the sky is the limit.”Krunal pointed to Kohli’s response to adversity during IPL 2026 as an example of the champion mindset that has defined his career.“After 11 games this season, he had two ducks and people asked me whether we were worried. I told them I was excited. He had two back-to-back zeros and then went out and scored a match-winning hundred. He inspires people in the dressing room and outside it through his actions,” he said.For Krunal, Kohli’s competitive spirit and obsession with winning have also served as a source of personal inspiration.When asked whether Kohli had influenced him personally, the all-rounder replied: “One hundred per cent. I am also someone who plays aggressive cricket and loves winning. That doesn’t mean I am a graceful loser, but I love winning.”“We have similarities in the way we approach the game. Over the years, I have spent a lot of time with him. Sharing a dressing room with him has been special. He is a leader in every sense of the word. There is no doubt about that,” he said.
