Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli left a frustrated mark on the scorecard during IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala on Tuesday. Kohli made 43 from 25 balls, striking five fours and one six, but fell to Jason Holder before he could reach the half-century. The dismissal, and Kohli’s visible disappointment as he walked back, quickly became a talking point in the stadium and online.
RCB’s innings saw Kohli get out in the ninth over. He went for a pull shot against a short-of-a-length delivery from Holder and ended up finding the stumps rather than clearing the field. Kohli’s reaction suggested he was especially annoyed with the way he departed, despite the quick tempo he had established.
Quick facts
- Match: IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 — RCB vs Gujarat Titans
- Venue: Dharamsala
- Date: Tuesday (May 26, 2026)
- Kohli’s score: 43 off 25 balls
- Boundaries: five fours and one six
- Dismissal: Jason Holder (in the ninth over)
- Context: Kohli missed out on a half-century
Kohli’s wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma was also present at the venue, and her reaction to the dismissal spread rapidly across social media. Even with the short stay at the crease, Kohli’s knock carried the signature aggression RCB had leaned on throughout the season.
The bigger story, though, was what came with it away from the actual dismissal. On Tuesday, Kohli became the first player in IPL history to post four consecutive seasons of 600-plus runs. He reached the mark in Qualifier 1 as he continued a run of elite consistency, adding 43 in 25 balls at a strike rate of 172.00, with five boundaries through the innings.
Across 15 innings this season, Kohli has compiled 600 runs at an average of 50.00, striking at 164.38—his best seasonal strike rate. His tally includes one century and four fifties, and his best score stands at 105*.
After a dip in the 2022 campaign, when he managed 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 with only two fifties, Kohli’s turnaround in the IPL has been remarkable. The reinvention of his T20 approach has only looked more effective as his career progressed, particularly after he retired from T20 internationals following the 2024 T20 World Cup, with his output improving step by step from one season to the next.
In 2023, Kohli’s comeback was clear. He finished with 639 runs in 14 innings, averaging 53.25 while striking at 139.82. That season included two centuries and six fifties, and his best score was 101*—a haul that made him the fourth-highest run-scorer of the tournament.
The following season, he sharpened his game further against spin and delivered some of his most punishing six-hitting in years. He topped the run charts with 741 runs in 15 innings, at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, featuring a century and five fifties. Kohli struck 38 sixes in that edition, matching his best total of 38 that he had recorded in 2016.
Last season, Kohli played a key role in RCB’s title success. He again set the tone at the top with a blend of adaptability and pace through varying conditions, finishing as the tournament’s third-leading run-getter. He scored 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, with eight fifties.
