Former Teammates Call for Virat Kohli to End Test Retirement Following Historic IPL Chase
Virat Kohli demonstrated exceptional form during the 2026 Indian Premier League, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a record-breaking victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. The performance prompted former India international Ambati Rayudu to advocate for Kohli’s return to the longest format of the game.
Record-Breaking Run Chase at the Chinnaswamy
Chasing a target of 202, Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured the win in exactly 15.4 overs, setting a new record for the fastest successful 200-plus run chase in IPL history. Kohli anchored the innings with an unbeaten 69, featuring authoritative straight drives and his signature flick shots. He received substantial support from top-order batters Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar.
Sunrisers Hyderabad initially posted 201 for 9, recovering from early dismissals through a rapid 80 by Ishan Kishan and lower-order contributions from Ankiet Verma.
Match Summary
| Team | Score | Top Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 201/9 (20 overs) | Ishan Kishan (80) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 202/3 (15.4 overs) | Virat Kohli (69*) |
Kohli Reaches New T20 Milestones
The match added several statistical achievements to Kohli’s career profile.
- First player to surpass 4,000 IPL runs in successful run chases.
- Surpassed Shoaib Malik in the all-time global T20 run-scoring charts.
- Anchored the fastest 200-plus run chase in franchise cricket history.
Rayudu Advocates for Test Cricket Comeback
Following the match, Ambati Rayudu addressed Kohli’s 2025 retirement from Test cricket. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Rayudu stated that the veteran batter retains significant longevity and elite-level mechanics.
“I do not think he is anywhere close to the end of his career,” Rayudu said. “I think he still has five or six quality years left in him and, as Sanjay Bangar and I were discussing earlier, he should make a comeback in Test cricket as well, hopefully as a captain.”
Rayudu further emphasized Kohli’s past leadership credentials for the Board of Control for Cricket in India, noting his tactical acumen in red-ball cricket. “We are serious. He is the best red-ball captain I have seen in Indian cricket, and the way he is batting now, it is a loss for Indian cricket,” Rayudu added.