Indian Premier League 2026 is set to kick off on March 28, with the opening match featuring Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Fans will get to see Virat Kohli in action as RCB enters the tournament as defending champions, following their IPL 2025 triumph.
Virat Kohli aims to shine, but a few bowlers have historically given him the most trouble in IPL matches. Here’s a look at the players who have dismissed him the most:
Top Bowlers Who’ve Dismissed Virat Kohli in IPL
Sandeep Sharma – The Indian pacer has dismissed Kohli seven times since the IPL began in 2008, making him the biggest threat to the RCB star.
Ashish Nehra – Nehra, now the bowling coach for Gujarat Titans, dismissed Kohli six times during his IPL career.
Mohammed Shami – Shami has dismissed Kohli five times and will play in IPL 2026, posing a real challenge for the veteran batsman.
Jasprit Bumrah – The Mumbai Indians ace has also dismissed Kohli five times. He could once again be a key obstacle for Kohli this season.
Virat Kohli’s IPL Journey
Virat Kohli made his debut for the Indian team in 2008, leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title the same year. He has been a cornerstone of RCB, rising from a junior player to captain.
Matches Played: 267
Runs Scored: 8,661 in 259 innings
Average: 39.5 | Strike Rate: 132.9
Centuries/Half-Centuries: 8/63
Fours/Sixes: 771/291
Wickets: 4
Virat Kohli has already started training in London ahead of IPL 2026 and is set to return to India soon to lead RCB in the pursuit of another title.
RCB’s schedule in IPL 2026 (Phase 1)
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will kick off IPL 2026 on March 28, hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Due to upcoming state elections, the BCCI has only released the Phase 1 schedule (March 28 – April 12).
March 28: vs SRH (Home)
April 5: vs CSK (Home)
April 10: vs RR (Away – Guwahati)
April 12: vs MI (Away – Mumbai)
Matches in Bengaluru are currently subject to a final safety clearance scheduled for March 13.
