Virat Kohli’s competitive fire was on full display once again, but this time it was directed inward as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star batter cut a visibly frustrated figure after his early dismissal in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025. In what was a high-stakes clash against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Kohli couldn’t hide his disappointment as he returned to the dressing room.
RCB had put on a clinical bowling performance, bundling out PBKS for just 101 runs in 14.1 overs—one of the most ruthless bowling efforts in IPL playoff history.
With a modest target in front of them, RCB looked to their seasoned openers, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, to complete the job with authority. The duo began confidently, applying pressure on PBKS bowlers with a flurry of boundaries. However, just as Kohli was settling in, his innings came to a sudden halt.
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Facing Kyle Jamieson in the fourth over, Kohli attempted to play a back-foot punch to a short-of-length delivery outside off stump that kicked up sharply. The extra bounce surprised him, and he ended up edging it to Josh Inglis behind the stumps. Dismissed for a brisk 18, Kohli was visibly dejected as he trudged back.
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Once inside the dressing room, cameras captured the RCB talisman’s rare outburst—he smashed a water bottle in frustration and was seen engaging in an intense conversation, likely dissecting the shot and what went wrong.
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Kohli’s reaction underscored how much the game still means to him, even after all these years. For a player who thrives in pressure moments, falling short in a crunch match clearly stung—and that raw emotion told its own story.
