Virat Kohli once again found himself at the centre of attention during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, this time over a controversial post-match handshake moment involving Travis Head. The incident took place after SRH defeated RCB on Friday night, with Kohli appearing to ignore Head during the customary handshake line, sparking widespread debate across social media.
The moment quickly went viral, with fans divided over Kohli’s reaction. While some criticised the former RCB captain for snubbing the Australian opener, others defended him, citing the heated on-field exchange between the two earlier in the match.
The tension appeared to begin during the Powerplay when Kohli and Head were involved in an animated verbal interaction. Kohli seemingly gestured towards Head to come on and bowl instead of remaining off the field as an Impact Substitute. The exchange reflected the intensity of a high-pressure contest, with both teams battling for a crucial top-two finish in the IPL 2026 points table.
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Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan weighed in on the controversy and defended Kohli’s aggressive on-field personality, saying the star batter has always thrived on passion and competitiveness. “Virat Kohli has always enjoyed playing cricket with aggressive intensity, emotion, and competitive banter,” Pathan said on JioHotstar.
“During that moment, he was asking Travis Head to come and bowl instead of staying off the field as an impact substitute.” Irfan Pathan added that such heated exchanges are common in pressure situations, especially when playoff positions are at stake.
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“These things happen naturally in big games where teams are fighting for important positions on the table. It’s part of the competitive spirit of top-level cricket,” he explained. However, the former India cricketer admitted that the handshake incident could have been handled differently. “This could be avoided,” Pathan added.
Despite the defeat, RCB still finished top of the IPL 2026 standings due to a superior net run rate, securing a valuable Qualifier 1 spot ahead of the playoffs.
