AB de Villiers and Anil Kumble highlighted that while RCB and Virat Kohli are still synonymous, they are no longer solely dependent on his performances. The duo also discussed the possibility of RCB winning back-to-back trophies this season.

AB de Villiers touched upon Virat Kohli still being the cornerstone of RCB:

"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. The way he conducts himself on and off the field, always fighting for the team, stands out. He brings that energy and makes the youngsters believe that they can ultimately go on and win the trophy, which RCB did last year. What I liked about last season, yes, he was one of the main run-scorers in the team, as openers usually are, but 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."

On the team performance in the final summing up RCB's title-winning season:

"The final is a great example, with Virat scoring 43 runs off 35 balls. But it was actually Patidar, Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd who scored at a high strike rate and helped the team post 190-plus, ultimately winning the game. Krunal Pandya also chipped in with the ball. That’s my point, players contributing like that throughout the season, and the bowling attack stepping up. 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, all gunning to win the trophy. I think they are in a really good place. It’s a similar squad, they didn’t have to change much, and they have good reason to believe they can go all the way again this coming season."

On Virat Kohli's preparation for TATA IPL 2026 being away from the game since January:

"First of all, he has the best work ethic I have ever seen in my life. So, he will not come into the tournament undercooked. If he doesn’t play well, it will purely be down to form or maybe a technical error. I am expecting a great season from him. I can only imagine how hyped he must be after getting quite a bit of rest. Virat will most definitely be ready, there is no doubt about it, and RCB can actually go back-to-back. You will remember him speaking about it often in the dressing room, ‘If we can win one, we are going to win two, three, four quickly.’ I truly believe that. I feel RCB are in that zone now where they can go bang, bang, bang, perhaps two or three trophies in a row, who knows. I am just hoping for a really good start this season, I think that will be important for them. My advice to Virat would be to just go out there and enjoy."

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Anil Kumble opined on whether RCB's identity is still synonymous with Virat Kohli:

"Yes, RCB’s identity is still built around him. If you look back at RCB over the last 10-12 years, it has always been about someone like Virat Kohli. Once he took over the captaincy in 2013, it has been about his presence with the franchise. Of course, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle received a similar kind of support. I was fascinated when AB walked in to play his 100th Test match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, you could see the kind of reception he received even while representing South Africa. That shows the kind of love people of Bengaluru have for RCB and for Virat. Like we speak about MS (Dhoni) and CSK, Virat and RCB will always be synonymous, and I don’t think that will change. That legacy will remain. What stood out for me last season were the contributions from the two spinners, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma. They brought consistency in the bowling performances, which helped RCB reach the final and eventually win it. The fast bowlers, we knew, always had the credentials to perform their roles, whether it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Josh Hazlewood."

On Virat Kohli looking to take more risks in TATA IPL 2025 and his improved strike rate:

"Great players always look to improve, they are never satisfied. Every season, you want to make corrections, not just for the team but also for your own growth and to challenge yourself. Don’t be surprised if he comes into this season with a different outlook, perhaps trying something like the scoop shot or the reverse scoop. We have seen AB de Villiers do that consistently over the years, and Virat could add that to his batting repertoire as well. Great players like him are constantly looking to evolve, improve, and challenge themselves."