Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their IPL 2026 preparations with a high-energy training session at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, offering fans a glimpse of their build-up through a social media video featuring head coach Andy Flower, their talisman Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer and other squad members.
The start of the session had Andy Flower addressing the side followed by a pep talk by none other than Virat Kohli who told the players that defending the title is going to be even a tougher challenge than breaking the trophy drought and each and every player has to give their 120% in the 2 and a half months of the tournament.
The three-hour practice reflected a mix of intensity and skill work, with coach Andy Flower closely monitoring proceedings. A significant focus was placed on batting, as Jitesh Sharma and Venkatesh Iyer spent extended periods in the nets fine-tuning their approach.
Venkatesh Iyer initially struggled to find rhythm and timing. However, after a brief chat with batting coach Dinesh Karthik, he gradually grew in confidence. Iyer continued to work across multiple nets, focusing on fuller deliveries and shot execution, eventually showing signs of improvement as the session progressed.
The video posted by RCB also showed Virat Kohli taking a few shots out of his locker and challenging the bowlers on the day.
Padikkal, meanwhile, appeared composed during his stint. The left-hander spent time against both net bowlers and throwdown specialists, displaying a wide range of strokes despite a few mistimed attempts. He was joined by England’s Jordan Cox, who concentrated on aggressive hitting and expanding his scoring options.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma underwent an extensive session, combining wicketkeeping drills with batting practice. He looked comfortable against short-pitched deliveries before shifting focus to backfoot play in the main nets. Tim David also rotated through the nets, working on his front-foot play and later participating in catching drills.
Bowlers were also seen going at the batters with full vigour with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma among others getting ready for a
The session concluded with players practising innovative shots such as reverse sweeps and switch-hits. RCB are set to play their first practice match soon, as they continue to build momentum ahead of the new season.
