Dropped on 0, Smashed 81: How Did RCB’s Virat Kohli Turn the Tables on GT in IPL 2026 Clash?

Virat Kohli played a match-winning knock of 81 off 44 balls as RCB defeated GT by five wickets in IPL 2026. Dropped on zero early, he made full use of the lifeline, anchoring the 206-run chase with aggressive strokeplay and key partnerships. His innings drew widespread praise and strengthened his Orange Cap lead.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli delivered his best performance of the IPL 2026 in the clash against the Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday, April 24.

The defending champions recorded their fifth win of the season following a five-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans. With a 206-run target, the RCB chased it down in 18.5 overs or seven balls to spare. Virat Kohli led the run chase with a knock of 81 off 44 balls at a strike rate of 184 and formed a crucial 115-run stand for the second with Devdutt Padikkal, who played a fiery innings of 55 off 27 balls at a strike rate of 203.

Krunal Pandya (23*) and Tim David (10*) shared an unbeaten 33-run stand for the sixth wicket to take the team past the finishing line, sealing a comfortable five-wicket win for RCB with seven balls to spare.

Kohli Capitalized on GT’s Blunder

Virat Kohli stole the spotlight with his aggressive and elegant strokeplay at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, the veteran RCB batter had almost left the home crowd disappointed early on after being dropped on zero by Washington Sundar off Mohammed Siraj on the first ball of his innings.

Kohli was on the verge of getting dismissed for a golden duck before he dropped the catch, which ignited his innings. The dropped catch didn’t deter his confidence as he dominated the powerplay alongside Devdutt Padikkal, racing RCB to 58/1 in six overs. The 37-year-old continued his aggressive batting and completed his third fifty of the season in 30 balls at a strike rate of 167.

Virat Kohli accelerated the innings in the middle overs, scoring 48 off 24 balls at a strike rate of 200 to take the RCB past the 150-run mark. Compared to powerplay, the star batter scored 33 off 20 balls at a strike rate of 165.00, an increase of 35 runs per 100 balls in the middle overs phase, showcasing his improved acceleration.

The veteran batter specifically targeted key bowlers like Kagiso Rabada (23), Jason Holder (18), Rashid Khan (15), and Prasidh Krishna (14), taking 70 runs off them collectively to power RCB’s chase. Mohammed Siraj conceded the fewest runs against Kohli, giving away 11 runs off his spell against the RCB batter during the chase.

In the 14th over, Virat Kohli smashed two consecutive sixes off Jason Holder, up from 69 off 41 off 81 off 43 balls, and was in great touch to complete his first century of the season. However, the former RCB captain fell short of the milestone, as he was bowled by Holder, against whom he had earlier struck a fluent 18 runs in the same phase.

The pattern in which Virat Kohli shifted gears after the early reprieve, building momentum steadily before unleashing aggressive strokeplay in the middle overs, defined his match-winning 81 and anchored RCB’s successful chase.

Kohli’s Knock Earns Praise

From almost a golden duck to delivering a match-winning performance, Virat Kohli has literally taken the game away from the Gujarat Titans.

His composed innings after an early drop, and explosive middle-overs acceleration not only stole the spotlight at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, but also sealed a statement knock that powered RCB’s successful chase and earned Kohli widespread praise for his match-winning impact.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts credited Kohli’s early reprieve as the turning point, hailing his 81-run knock as a ruthless reminder of his chasing mastery, while also praising his hunger, consistency, and ability to single-handedly tilt matches in RCB’s favour even after nearly being dismissed for a golden duck.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli completed 800 fours, making him the first player to do so in the history of the IPL, and also achieved the landmark of 300 IPL sixes, becoming the third player to join an elite list alongside Chris Gayle and Rohit Sharma.

Kohli is currently the Orange Cap holder of the IPL 2026, amassing 328 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 54.66 and a strike rate of 163.18 in seven matches.