Virat Kohli Instagram Story: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) icon Virat Kohli has once again proven that he handles off-field bouncers just as effortlessly as those on the pitch. Taking to Instagram, the man in number 18 effectively dismantled a viral report claiming he had made ‘luxury’ demands from the franchise regarding his travel schedule between India and London.
The reports suggested that Kohli had requested chartered flight access to fly to London whenever there was a three-day gap between RCB’s matches, allegedly informing the team he would only return 24 hours before game day.
The Emoji Takedown: Virat Rubbishes the Claims
Rather than a lengthy statement or a formal PR denial, Kohli opted for a more modern and arguably more effective approach. He posted a screenshot of the news claim on his Instagram story, accompanied by two ‘laughing’ emojis.
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The silent but loud response sent a clear message to his 270+ million followers: the rumours are nothing more than a joke. This comes at a time when Kohli’s frequent trips to the UK have been a topic of public fascination, but the idea of a mid-IPL “commute” has now been firmly laughed off by the player himself.
Chasing 10,000: The Historic Milestones Awaiting Kohli
With the air cleared, Kohli’s focus remains on the March 28 season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Coming off the emotional high of securing his first IPL title in his 18th season last year, the batting maestro is on the verge of several “world-first” milestones in 2026:
Currently sitting at 8,661 IPL runs, Kohli is poised to become the first player in history to breach the 9,000-run mark in the league. Having amassed 9,085 runs for RCB across the IPL and CLT20, one prolific season will make him the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs for a single T20 franchise. With 13,543 career T20 runs, Kohli is chasing the elite quartet of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Alex Hales, and David Warner to become the fifth member of the 14,000-run club.
Can He Top His 2025 Form?
Last season, Kohli was the backbone of RCB’s historic title run, finishing as the team’s leading run-getter with 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71. As RCB prepares to defend their trophy, the stats suggest that a focused, “laughing-off-the-rumours” Kohli is exactly what the fans in Bengaluru want to see.
