Is Virat Kohli RCB’s 5th ‘Overseas Player’? Check Out Former Captain’s Response

Mumbai: It’s been nearly two years since Virat Kohli quit T20Is, and almost a year since he retired from Test cricket.

That leaves ODIs as the only form of international cricket Kohli plays for Team India. And, of course, there is IPL in which Kohli has been with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from the opening season, in 2008.

Now in his 19th year for RCB, Kohli arrived for IPL 2026 without too much competitive cricket of late, having last played two-and-a-half months ago, in the home ODI series against New Zealand.

That break hardly had an effect on his performance, as the 37-year-old batter guided RCB to victory in their season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad with an unbeaten 69.

Yet, Kohli has been under the scanner on social media for spending more time with his family in the UK. It’s a personal choice and a conscious decision made by Virat and Anushka Sharma to stay away from the spotlight in India, yet some netizens have taken a dig at the former India and RCB captain.

So much so that some trolls have suggested Kohli is an ‘overseas player’ for RCB.

In a fun interview, that online chatter was brought up. And Kohli took it in the right spirit.

In a video shared by RCB, host Danish Sait, in his popular Mr Nags avatar, asks Kohli, “There are many things people say about you in social media. People are saying RCB are playing five overseas players (in the XI), I am not understanding what they are saying actually.”

Kohli smiles and replies, “I don’t know, why are you asking me? Ask the overseas players. I am not an overseas player. Am I an overseas player?”

“No”, says Danish and shrugs.

“Then?” goes Kohli.

Kohli and RCB lifted the coveted IPL trophy for the first time in 2025, beating Punjab Kings in the final.

It was ‘monkey off the back’ for Kohli, who had been facing the same question for 17 years — why has RCB not won the IPL yet?