Virat Kohli’s competitive fire was impossible to miss during the IPL 2026 final, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru seized the initiative against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. With the ball, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck at exactly the right moments, but it was Kohli’s exuberant celebrations right after two key dismissals—Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan—that quickly became a major talking point among supporters.
RCB set the tone after winning the toss
RCB began with urgency, chasing early breakthroughs after captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to field first. From the start, Kohli appeared fully switched on, matching the intensity of the opening phase as Bengaluru looked to disrupt Gujarat’s rhythm in the high-pressure final.
The atmosphere also stood out: even though Ahmedabad is Gujarat’s home base, the Narendra Modi Stadium was awash with Kohli’s iconic No. 18 jerseys, underlining how significant his presence was for the contest’s emotional narrative.
Hazlewood and the first breakthrough: Gill departs
Bengaluru’s first major success arrived in the third over. Hazlewood got rid of Gujarat captain Gill for 10 runs off eight deliveries, providing the sort of early wicket that can tilt a T20 final in the fielding side’s favour.
The Australian pacer bowled a short-of-a-length ball that rose awkwardly for Gill. Trying to execute his familiar short-arm pull, the Gujarat skipper only managed a sliced, mistimed contact that carried to mid-off, where Patidar took a comfortable catch.
- Wicket: Shubman Gill out for 10 (off 8 balls)
- Over: Third
- Bowler: Josh Hazlewood
- How it happened: Short-of-length delivery; mistimed pull, caught at mid-off by Rajat Patidar
Immediately after the catch was completed, Kohli erupted. He was seen pumping his fists aggressively and roaring in delight as RCB celebrated the early breakthrough. Gill’s dismissal carried extra weight given his strong history in Ahmedabad and the influence he had been bringing to Gujarat’s run to the final.
Bhuvneshwar strikes again as Sudharsan miscues
Just over an over later, RCB struck for a second time in the powerplay. Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered another crucial blow, removing Sai Sudharsan, one of Gujarat’s most dependable batters throughout the season.
Sudharsan went for a pull shot off a surprise bouncer, but the execution wasn’t there—he top-edged the ball, sending it towards short fine leg. Wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma reacted quickly, sprinting across to complete a sharp running catch.
- Wicket: Sai Sudharsan out (caught at short fine leg)
- Over phase: Just over an over after Gill’s dismissal (still within the powerplay)
- Bowler: Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- How it happened: Pull attempted off a surprise bouncer; top-edge found short fine leg
Kohli’s celebrations spark pressure on Gujarat
Kohli’s reaction was immediate again. He rushed towards Bhuvneshwar, embraced the veteran pacer, and then lifted him in celebration as Bengaluru sensed they could pile on pressure. With those two quick strikes, Titans were left reeling inside the powerplay, and RCB’s start matched exactly what they would have wanted in a match of this magnitude.
For Bengaluru, the lineup remained unchanged after their Qualifier 1 win over Gujarat earlier in the week. And with RCB’s pace attack doing the damage in the opening overs, Kohli’s trademark passion and high-energy demeanour provided the clearest visual of a side intent on defending its IPL crown.
