Batting superstar Virat Kohli has kicked off his preparations for the upcoming 2025 season of the IPL season on Sunday (March 16). In several videos going viral on the internet, Kohli can be seen batting in the nets, warming up and doing light exercises with his Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammates at the team’s home ground – M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli, who has been associated with the Bengaluru-based franchise since the first edition of the world’s richest franchise cricket league, would like to end his 18-year-long wait for the first-ever IPL title this year. Kohli, who is the all-time leading run scorer in IPL history, finished as the top scorer in IPL 2024. He, however, hasn’t played in the IPL final since the 2016 season. Purity 🤌 pic.twitter.com/aASKhcCNov — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) March 16, 2025 Hold that Pose….. 🥵? pic.twitter.com/1Vl3s7snmh — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) March 16, 2025 A complete Package of Entertainment ?❤️ pic.twitter.com/WcpxCgFeub — Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) March 16, 2025 VIRAT KOHLI HAVING FUN IN TODAY’S PRACTICE SESSION AT CHINNASWAMY!#ViratKohli???? #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/OjRJdrLVHC — Cricket With RS (@badkebhai) March 16, 2025 VIRAT KOHLI HAVING FUN IN TODAY’S PRACTICE SESSION AT CHINNASWAMY!#ViratKohli???? #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/OjRJdrLVHC — Cricket With RS (@badkebhai) March 16, 2025 Kohli was retained for Rs 21 crore by RCB ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction last year. He was expected to lead the franchise in IPL 2025, but during an event in Bengaluru on February 13, RCB appointed Rajat Patidar as the new captain. The Bengaluru-based franchise will open its campaign against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 22 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and then take on Chennai Super Kings at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28. In the last IPL match played between the two teams at the iconic stadium in Bengaluru, RCB secured a win by 27 runs to book a place in the playoffs and also knock CSK out. Kohli, who has scored one century and one fifty for India in the Champions Trophy 2025, would like to come up with big performances with the bat for RCB in IPL 2025. Apart from Kohli, the franchise will have high expectations from England wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt, all-rounder Liam Livingstone and Indian wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma. Salt played a big role in KKR’s IPL title win last year but is struggling with form these days. RCB’s squad for IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar (C), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.