IPL 2026: Virat Kohli snubs handshake with Travis Head, moment goes viral - WATCH

Virat Kohli and Travis Head were seen involved in a brief verbal exchange during IPL 2026 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday (May 22), where SRH secured a commanding 55-run victory. Kohli endured a disappointing outing with the bat, scoring just 15 runs from 11 deliveries, including two boundaries, before falling to Saik Hussain on the second-last ball of the sixth over.

The incident unfolded during RCB’s chase of 256 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, while Venkatesh Iyer was attacking the SRH bowling attack, television cameras captured Kohli and Head exchanging a few words on the field.

A charged-up Kohli appeared to gesture toward Head to take up bowling duties, while also mimicking the “Impact Sub” signal, seemingly referencing SRH’s strategy of deploying the Australian primarily as a batter before replacing him with a specialist bowler during the fielding innings.

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The interaction appeared to carry over after the game, as during the customary post-match greetings, Kohli was seen walking past Head without shaking hands, despite interacting with several other SRH players, leaving the opener waiting for a handshake.

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However, the evening belonged to SRH, whose explosive batting display laid the foundation for a huge total before their bowlers comfortably defended it.

Despite the loss, RCB achieved a crucial objective by retaining the top spot in the league table. Finishing first guarantees them a place in Qualifier 1, giving them two opportunities to reach the IPL 2026 Final.

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RCB also managed the impact on their net run rate by ending their chase at 200/4, which kept them ahead of second-placed Gujarat Titans and third-placed SRH, with all three sides level on points.

Meanwhile, the battle for the final playoff berth remains intense, as Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals are still competing for the fourth and final playoff spot.