Virat Kohli Snubs Two-Time IPL Winner From His All-Time RCB XI. Mitchell Starc Included

Batting icon Virat Kohli has picked his all-time Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) XI ahead of the upcoming IPL season. Kohli returns to action on March 28 as RCB, the defending champions, kick off their title defense against the SunRisers Hyderabad at home. In a viral video, Kohli was asked to name his best RCB XI, and the 37-year-old opted for a combination of six batters, two frontline seamers, one all-rounder, and one spinner. The RCB icon was quick to address the elephant in the room, revealing his four overseas picks first.

He picked the likes of Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Mitchell Starc and Dale Steyn. There was no mention of Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood in Kohli’s XI. Hazlewood picked 22 wickets in 12 matches last season to help RCB lift the title for the first time.

“I would say Gayle and myself to open AB at three. Okay, let me get the four overseas out of the way. AB, Chris, and Mitchell Starc, because he played for us. The 4th overseas player for me would be, I think, Dale (Steyn), because I would like the bowling to be even stronger in that XI. So yeah, you got two seamers; you got Chris, myself and AB,” Kohli said in a video posted by RCB.

Top-order

Middle-order

Pace attack

Spin-twins

Find out who breaks into King Kohli’s all-time RCB XI

This is @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold Diaries.

PS: This video was recorded at the start of the IPL 2025 season. #PlayBold RCB pic.twitter.com/6uVeCFjegR

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 16, 2026

He also mentioned the names of KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Anil Kumble and Yuzvendra Chal to complete his XI.

“At four, I would have KL (Rahul). He had an amazing season, I think, batting at four for us. Five, I would say, give five to Rajat (Patidar), maybe, because he plays spin amazingly well and he’s one of the best Indian talents that we’ve had. Six would be Dinesh (Karthik), for sure, and Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) at 11 for his batting ability. Now I’ve got seven and eight left, right? Anil Bhai (Kumble) at eight – wow, that would be an unbelievable 11. Okay, I’ll go Harshal (Patel), with his little bit of batting ability as well. And he fits in as the perfect third seamer; he’s been bowling in different phases,” he added.

He picked himself to open with Gayle at the top.

Virat Kohli’s all-time RCB XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Anil Kumble, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Yuzvendra Chahal