“If Virat Kohli is going to play in the Indian Premier League, he will do just that..” – New warning attached

Huge confusion has spread across the cricket world after news emerged that Virat Kohli has not renewed his commercial contract with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of IPL 2026.

Once reports spread online, fans started making wild guesses. Many wondered if this meant Virat Kohli was leaving Royal Challengers Bengaluru or even planning to retire from the IPL. But the truth is that the deal has nothing to do with his cricket career or his place in the team.

RCB’s contract with Virat Kohli is sparking wild rumours

Due to all this confusion, credit goes to Rohit Goglan, a journalist at RevSportz, who said that Virat Kohli has not signed a new commercial contract with the RCB franchise. This one line was enough to spark endless discussions and confusion among fans.

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But soon after, former Indian cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra clarified that it is not this contract that decides whether a player will play for the team or not.

Chopra helped fans understand the situation better. The cricket expert explained that this is a side deal that mainly involves promotional work, advertisements and brand endorsements. The actual playing contract, which allows a cricketer to represent a team on the field, is quite different.

Aakash Chopra clears the air on Virat Kohli’s RCB contract confusion

So, non-renewal of the commercial contract does not mean that Kohli will leave RCB. The former India batsman said Kohli’s decision not to renew a commercial agreement with Royal Challengers Bengaluru has nothing to do with his future in cricket or with the franchise.

Chopra stressed that Kohli will continue to play for the same franchise as his playing contract is still valid. He also hinted that there is an opportunity to renegotiate the deal later or replace it with another form of agreement that suits both sides.

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Some reports have claimed that RCB Bank may go through a sale or ownership change in the coming months. Perhaps that is why Kohli’s contract has not been renewed yet. Well, Kohli remains the heart and soul of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Virat Kohli sure to play for RCB: Aakash Chopra

“It was said that he turned down a commercial contract, but what does that mean? He will definitely play for RCB. If he plays, then he will definitely go out for the same franchise,” Aakash Chopra said in a video he posted on his YouTube channel.

“Kohli has just won the trophy. Why would he leave the franchise then? He is not going anywhere. What contract he can refuse is in the realm of speculation. He may have a dual contract,” Chopra added.

“The commercial contract is a side contract apart from the playing contract. He has reportedly refused to sign a commercial contract. There are also reports that RCB are up for sale.”

His performance in IPL 2025 was outstanding and he played a huge role in RCB’s historic first ever title win. Kohli scored a total of 657 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71.

He has smashed eight half-centuries this season. Kohli has so far scored 8661 runs at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 132.85 in 267 matches in the tournament.