Will Virat Kohli Retire From IPL After RCB VS GT Final 2026? Here’s The Truth Behind Viral Claims

The IPL fever is at its peak as the intense finals between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) has begun. While fans are eagerly waiting for either Shubman Gill or Rajat Patidar to lift the trophy, the attention has shifted towards the star player, Virat Kohli. Well, the last few social media posts of RCB and Rajat Patidar have made fans wonder if the King is planning to retire from IPL in 2026, leaving fans shocked and worried. Continue reading to know the truth behind the viral claims.

What sparked rumours of Virat Kohli’s retirement from IPL?

Rumours about Virat Kohli retiring from IPL began soon after Royal Challengers Bangalore won the qualifier match and reached the finals. After winning, RCB took to their social media accounts and shared a dashing photo of King Kohli with the text, “One Last Mile”, leaving everyone confused. Later, they shared another post, featuring a series of Virat’s photos and captioned it as “18”.

While everything seemed normal in the beginning, some fans soon started reading between the lines and felt that RCB was paying a tribute to Virat Kohli, sparking retirement rumours. The rumours intensified when the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajat Patidar shared a no-caption photo of him and Virat Kohli on his Instagram handle. Since he did not write any caption, multiple fans assumed that Rajat was also hinting towards the King taking retirement after IPL 2026. It is worth noting that till now, Virat Kohli has not confirmed anything on his retirement. If reports are to be believed, there are less chances of him retiring after IPL 2026.

Fans react to Virat Kohli’s retirement rumours

Soon after RCB and Rajat Patidar’s post went viral, multiple heartbroken fans took to their X (Formerly Twitter) handles to share their anxiety. One user commented, “Nahhh my entire timeline is filled with Kohli retirement tweets & RCB jinx tweets that’s why.” Another user wrote, “Anxiety.” A third user penned, “I think Virat Kohli will announce his retirement tomorrow… #RCBvsGT #IPL #Final #Kohli.” A fourth user shared, “What if, after winning the trophy today, Virat Kohli says the same retirement script…If that’s the case, then we don’t need the trophy.” A user also stated:

“Bro something’s fishy yaar, rajat randomly posted Kohli pic then Gayle and now RCB official account, please kohli saab dont take any heart breaking decisions we are yet to recover from last year retirement news.” 

Virat Kohli’s old statement on retirement goes viral

Amid the retirement rumours, an old statement on Virat Kohli has made rounds on social media. In 2025, during a candid conversation, Virat Kohli had shared that till the time he is playing cricket, he will roar like a lion; however, he will never be an Impact Player. He mentioned that he would prefer quitting cricket than playing as an Impact Player. The reason this statement is grabbing attention is because Virat Kohli did play a few matches as an Impact Player in 2026. For the unversed, when he was not feeling well, the ace player chose to bat; however, avoided fielding.

More about Virat Kohli

Well, Virat Kohli needs no introduction. He is one of the most loved and celebrated cricketers of the world. He is often recognised for his intense batting skills, sharp fielding and aggression. In May 2025, the ace cricketer broke millions of hearts when he announced his retirement from Test cricket. Coming to IPL 2026, Virat Kohli played like a lion the entire season. He smashed more than 600 runs yet again and entered the race for Orange Cap. In one of the matches, the King also made a century. 

What are your thoughts on the rumours surrounding Virat Kohli’s retirement after IPL 2026? Let us know.

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