Virat Kohli retirement rumours spread before the IPL 2026 final after Royal Challengers Bangalore and captain Rajat Patidar posted social media updates that fans linked to his future.
The speculation began after RCB reached the final against the Gujarat Titans. The franchise posted a photo of Kohli with the caption “One Last Mile,” then shared another image collection with the caption “18.”
Many fans read the posts as a tribute to Kohli. The reaction grew after Patidar posted a photo with Kohli on Instagram without a caption.
Kohli has not announced any decision to retire from the Indian Premier League; his chances of retiring after IPL 2026 remain minimal.
Fans reacted on X with concern after the posts gained attention. Some linked the speculation to previous cricket retirement announcements and said they feared another major exit.
Read: Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest to 28,000 International Runs in Historic ODI
An old Kohli statement also resurfaced during the speculation. In the clip, he said he would always “roar like a lion” while playing cricket, but would never be an Impact Player.
RCB and Gujarat Titans are set to contest the final, with either Patidar or Shubman Gill in line to lift the IPL trophy.
