When Virat Kohli was dropped on the very first over, Gujarat Titans were warned—almost immediately—that the reprieve would come back to haunt them. In their IPL 2026 encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, RCB rode that escape to a five-wicket victory.
The turning point arrived early: Kohli was given life when Washington Sundar put down the chance off Mohammed Siraj in the opening over of RCB’s innings. The missed opportunity proved expensive as Kohli went on to strike 81 off just 44 deliveries, steering the chase with a cool, controlled tempo.
Quick facts
- Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, IPL 2026
- Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium
- Day: Friday
- Key moment: Kohli dropped off Mohammed Siraj in the first over
- Kohli’s knock: 81 off 44 balls
- RCB chase outcome: 206, reached 206/5 in 18.5 overs
- Result: RCB won by five wickets
- Table impact: RCB moved to second place with 10 points from seven games
Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the drop as the decisive swing in the match when speaking on Star Sports. He stressed that missing Kohli’s wicket at the start can be particularly damaging, especially because Kohli is famed for finishing chases.
Gavaskar said, “That dropped catch of Virat Kohli off Siraj’s bowling definitely cost Gujarat Titans a lot.” He added that Kohli isn’t only a master of batting—he is also widely recognized as a specialist in successful chases, capable of turning pressure into momentum.
Further explaining the threat, Gavaskar noted, “You drop him on the first ball, then he will definitely make you pay,” pointing to exactly how the scenario played out. He also underlined Kohli’s long-standing reputation for chasing big totals with ease, calling it a trademark element of his career.
Gavaskar also suggested GT could regret the early escape because conditions can change quickly. “At one point… the ball was gripping a bit. It would not have been that easy once the ball got a little older,” he observed, implying that the missed wicket came at a time when it might have been harder for Kohli to score freely later.
Wrapping up his analysis, Gavaskar praised Kohli’s composure under pressure, saying the innings looked effortless. He then turned to RCB’s batting depth, crediting Devdutt Padikkal for clear improvement in IPL 2026.
Gavaskar said Padikkal played an excellent knock and specifically pointed to how the batter has expanded his scoring options. He explained that Padikkal’s shots have become cleaner, and that his earlier tendency—primarily focusing on the off side—has reduced as he has worked through limitations in his game.
He elaborated: “Earlier, he was seen as an offside player. His main scoring areas were cover and mid-off. He used to struggle on the on-side. But now he has overcome that limitation.” Gavaskar added that Padikkal now finds boundaries and even hits sixes behind square, which strengthens RCB’s top order.
Gavaskar also tied the improvement to RCB’s structure, noting that Padikkal bats at number three and captain Rajat Patidar at number four. “Both can hit sixes from the first ball. That is making a big difference for RCB right now,” he said.
RCB’s chase: momentum swings
Chasing 206, RCB did face an early jolt as GT pacer Mohammed Siraj dismissed opener Jacob Bethell. RCB slid to 26/1 within three overs, but the response from the top order was immediate and decisive.
Kohli led the charge with a fluent 81 off 44, while Padikkal matched the intensity by striking 55 off 27. Together, they kept the required run rate steady and built a 115-run partnership in just 59 balls, turning the chase decisively in RCB’s favour.
After Kohli and Padikkal were dismissed in quick succession, the contest tightened in the middle overs. Rashid Khan and Manav Suthar struck at crucial moments, and RCB ended 16 overs at 175/5.
There was another brief wobble when Rajat Patidar (8) and Jitesh Sharma (10) fell, leaving RCB needing 31 runs from the final four overs. Krunal Pandya then provided the breakthrough in the pressure phase, remaining unbeaten on 23 off 12 balls.
Krunal took the attack to GT by smashing 15 runs in the 18th over to shift momentum firmly back to RCB. Tim David supported the finishing stretch with an unbeaten 10 off nine deliveries.
RCB ultimately sealed the chase in the 19th over. A short ball from Jason Holder was dispatched to deep square leg for a single, and the target was reached at 206/5 in 18.5 overs—completing a five-wicket win and handing RCB two crucial points.
With the victory, RCB climbed to second place in the IPL 2026 standings, collecting 10 points from seven matches. Their record now stands at five wins and two losses.
