Virat Kohli starts practicing ahead of RCB's 2025 IPL season

Bengaluru: Star India batter Virat Kohli started practicing in the nets ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign opener against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday.

Ahead of the RCB Unbox event, organised for celebrating the franchise's fanbase through official jersey reveals, music performances and full team practice for the fans, RCB unveiled a brief look into Virat's nets session, where he was seen unleashing a flurry of lofted strokes, drives and the energy that has made him the country's 'King' of cricket over the years.

Notably, Virat was the part of India's ICC Champions Trophy winning team recently, emerging as the team's second-highest run-getter and overall fifth, with 218 runs in five matches at an average of 54.50. His standout knocks included a 100* against arch-rivals Pakistan while chasing 242 and a 98-ball 84 against Australia in the semifinals during a tough run-chase of 265 runs.

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This will be the 18th season with RCB for the man wearing number 18 on his back. Not only would a maiden IPL title be on his target, but also plenty of batting records. He is the highest run-getter in tournament history, with 8,004 runs in 252 matches at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.97, with eight centuries and 55 fifties.

Last year, he finished the season with an Orange Cap for most runs, with 741 runs at an average of 61.75, with an impressive strike rate of 154.69. He scored a century and five fifties and hit 38 astonishing sixes, silencing his critics with some audacious, unprecedented hitting against spin bowling in the second half of the tournament. His team qualified for playoffs last season after a horror first half where they won just one match out of eight, following it with a remarkable and inspirational turnaround by registering six wins on the trot to make it to the final four. (ANI)