The IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad delivered another dramatic moment as Virat Kohli found himself involved in a brief on-field exchange with Gujarat Titans batter Sai Sudharsan during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chase of 156. The incident took place in the seventh over of the second innings when Kohli was stationed at the non-striker’s end. Cameras captured Sudharsan appearing to engage in a verbal exchange with the RCB star as Gujarat Titans searched for a breakthrough in the high-pressure title clash.
Initially, Kohli seemed completely unfazed by the comments coming his way. The veteran batter continued to focus on the chase, showing little interest in responding. However, as the conversation continued, Kohli eventually walked over to Sudharsan and exchanged a few words before returning to his position.
The moment quickly caught the attention of fans, adding another layer of intensity to an already gripping IPL final. Gujarat Titans were desperately trying to defend a modest total of 155, and every tactic appeared to be on the table as they looked to unsettle Bengaluru’s experienced batting lineup. If the objective was to distract Kohli, it did not have the desired effect.
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The former RCB captain responded in the best possible way—with his bat. Kohli continued to anchor the chase brilliantly and raced to one of the fastest fifties of his IPL career. The batting icon reached the milestone in just 25 deliveries, registering his quickest-ever IPL half-century.
His previous fastest IPL fifty had come off 26 balls against Rajasthan Royals in 2018. He also recorded 26-ball fifties against Delhi Capitals in the same season and another 27-ball effort against Lucknow Super Giants in 2025.
Heated exchange between Virat Kohli and Sai Sudharsan during the RCB vs Gujarat Titans match 🤬🔥
– Virat Kohli looked furious at him 😭#RCBvsGT pic.twitter.com/AY74nwc1Qa
— T-Celebs (@t_celebs) May 31, 2026
Fastest IPL fifties by Virat Kohli (balls faced):
25 vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2026
26 vs RR, Bengaluru, 2018
26 vs DC, Delhi, 2018
* 27 vs LSG, Lucknow, 2025
Kohli’s knock also earned a place among the fastest half-centuries ever scored in an IPL final. The record is still jointly held by former Chennai Super Kings star Suresh Raina, David Warner, and current RCB batter Venkatesh Iyer, all of whom reached fifty in just 24 balls in IPL finals.
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With Kohli in sublime touch and controlling the chase, RCB looked firmly on course to retain their IPL crown. Once again, when the pressure was at its highest, Kohli let his bat do the talking and reminded everyone why he remains one of the greatest match-winners in T20 cricket.
