IPL 2026: Is Virat Kohli Planning His IPL Exit? RCB Star Reportedly Skips Contract Renewal

Virat Kohli was supposed to extend a commercial contract linked to the franchise before the start of next IPL season.

While no official statement has been made from either Kohli or RCB, the situation has raised questions about his future in IPL.

Source : PTI

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) icon Virat Kohli, who finally ended his long wait for an IPL trophy in 2025 season, has reportedly declined to renew a contract that was expected to be finalized ahead of IPL 2026.

The development has fueled speculation regarding his long-term plans with the RCB franchise.

According to a report by RevSportz journalist Rohit Juglan, the former RCB captain was supposed to extend a commercial contract linked to the franchise before the start of next IPL season. However, Kohli has reportedly chosen not to do so, hinting at a possible change in his association with the team’s branding and future plans.

"Last time before the mega-auction, I got the lead that before the start of the next season of the IPL (that is in 2026), Virat Kohli would have to renew a contract in association with a brand. But the news is, he has not renewed his contract. Now the speculation is that Virat wants the RCB franchise to plan their way ahead without using his face," reported Rohit Juglan.

No official statement from either Kohli or RCB

Juglan further explained that while no official statement has been made from either Kohli or RCB, the situation has raised questions about his future in IPL. The veteran batter, who announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this year, has notably maintained a low profile in recent months.

"Even last year, ahead of the mega-auction, when he was offered captaincy of the RCB side, he did not show interest in it and rather pined for Rajat Patidar and backed him with utter confidence," he added in his report.

While there’s no confirmation yet, the report suggests that Kohli could be considering stepping away from the IPL in the near future, possibly signaling the beginning of the end of an era for RCB’s most iconic player.

'Virat won't act like Dhoni'

"Virat won't act like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. I am not criticizng Dhoni; I just mean that, like, MS Dhoni retired from T20 internationals in 2020 and is still continuing with the IPL in 2025 and is expected to play in 2026 as well. Virat Kohli is not likely to continue so long once he retires from One-Days for the national side," said Juglan from his YouTube channel.