Virat Kohli carried the same sharp, rhythmic touch into his next IPL outing after his outstanding century versus Kolkata Knight Riders, and the talismanic batter once again looked extremely comfortable at the crease. In the Dharamsala clash against Punjab Kings, Kohli set the tone early, taking the attack to the bowlers from the start and driving the innings forward with measured authority.
Alongside his clean timing and smooth rotation of strike, Kohli also brought the intensity he’s known for in high-pressure situations. During the innings, the veteran batter shared a couple of memorable exchanges with Punjab spinner Harpreet Brar, adding a layer of edge to an already tense contest.
The moment with Brar in the 9th over
- The incident occurred on the fifth delivery of the ninth over, when Azmatullah Omarzai released a back-of-a-length ball that Kohli guided towards point.
- Seeing the chance for a quick run, Kohli immediately left his crease to go for it, but the non-striker, Devdutt Padikkal, moved quickly to call it off after noticing Brar charging in to the ball.
- Kohli had already travelled a fair distance down the pitch and momentarily found himself stranded, forcing him to reassess rather than sprint back in panic.
- Instead of rushing, Kohli stopped and cheekily stared back at Brar, seemingly daring the spinner to go for a direct hit at the stumps.
- Brar chose not to take the risk, knowing that a miss could open the door to overthrows and extra runs—an unnecessary gamble in a match where margins were tight.
- The hesitation also reflected the broader scrutiny Punjab has faced this season over fielding inconsistency, making Brar’s decision even more cautious.
Brar, however, made his impact later with the ball, claiming two significant wickets—Jacob Bethell and Devdutt Padikkal—at crucial points in the innings.
After the 14th over ended, Kohli exchanged a brief word with Brar with a smile on his face, but the Punjab spinner simply walked ahead, keeping the moment light rather than extending it.
It was not the first time Kohli and Brar had crossed paths with banter on the field. The duo had a similar sort of exchange during the previous season, with Kohli leading the taunts while Brar responded with a grin instead of words.
During the pressure phase of the run chase, Kohli was also heard telling Brar, “20 saal ho gaye cricket khelte hue, aese stump thodi na ho jaunga. Tere coach ko bhi janta hoon (I’ve been playing cricket for 20 years, I’m not going to get out like that. I even know your coach).” Brar couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment.
Kohli’s half-century and dismissal
Kohli continued to look in complete control as he built a fluent half-century against Punjab Kings, reaching the milestone off just 31 balls while again playing the anchor role for RCB. From the outset, he appeared settled, striking the ball cleanly, picking up boundaries at regular intervals, and keeping the innings steady from one end as the required momentum shifted through the middle overs.
In the end, Kohli was dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal, finishing with 58 off 37 deliveries—an innings that underlined his ability to both absorb pressure and accelerate when needed.
Toss and team news
Earlier, Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first. Shreyas Iyer’s side entered the match searching urgently for a much-needed victory. RCB, meanwhile, were without their regular captain Rajat Patidar, who missed the game due to injury, with Jitesh Sharma taking on the leadership role.
