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IPL 2026: Legendary South African batsman AB de Villiers has delivered a stirring tribute to his former teammate Virat Kohli. Speaking ahead of the blockbuster curtain-raiser between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28, de Villiers highlighted a fundamental shift in the franchise's DNA that led to their historic title win in 2025.

The "Heartbeat" of the Franchise

According to a report by news agency IANS, despite the emergence of new match-winners, de Villiers maintains that Kohli remains the spiritual and tactical core of the team. While Kohli’s bat continues to do the talking, it is the intangible "energy" he injects into the dugout that sets the tone for the defending champions.

"Virat definitely is still the heartbeat of the franchise. Not only through his performances and the consistency he has achieved with the bat over the years, but also through his presence and the energy he brings to the squad." de Villiers told JioHotstar. He further noted that Kohli’s conduct makes the younger players believe that championship glory is a reality, a belief that was vindicated last season.

Moving Beyond the "Big Three" Dependency

For years, RCB was criticized for being a "top-heavy" side that crumbled when its superstars failed. However, de Villiers pointed out that the 2025 title-winning campaign broke that curse. While Kohli was a primary run-scorer, the burden was shared across the entire XI.

"What I liked about last season... there were other players who stepped in. In the past, RCB were often guilty of relying on just two, three, or four players performing consistently. This time, I felt the entire team chipped in," de Villiers added during his interaction with JioHotstar.

The Blueprint of the 2025 Final

Reflecting on the monumental final where RCB ended their long-standing title drought, de Villiers cited the match as the perfect example of this new "collective" era. While Kohli anchored the innings with a steady 43 off 35 balls, the explosive finish came from the middle order.

As per de Villiers, it was the strike rates of Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd that propelled RCB to a winning total of 190-plus. He also credited Krunal Pandya for his pivotal contributions with the ball.

"Virat can feel that; he can sense that he is not the only one carrying the load anymore. He has a squad of fighters around him," de Villiers concluded. With a largely unchanged squad for IPL 2026, the "Mr. 360" of cricket believes RCB is in a prime position to become the first team in years to successfully defend their crown.