Virat Kohli was Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s worst player of the day. His half-century was one of the worst knocks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In fact, his getting out in the 15th over was the best thing for RCB.
At the exact ball he got out, RCB’s run rate was 12.61. However, he was scoring at just 8.06 or a strike rate of 131.58. If one excludes Kohli’s contribution, 50 off 38, RCB scored 135 runs in 8.2 overs. That’s a whopping 16.46 runs per over. If anything, his innings benefited the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Kohli took 37 balls to reach his 65th fifty in the IPL. His opening partner, Phil Salt, reached the milestone in just 25 balls. RCB captain Rajat Patidar needed just 17. Salt faced 2 fewer balls, 36, and scored 28 more runs than Kohli.
The frustrating bit was that Kohli had gotten a better start than Salt did. After the 4th over, he was 20 (11). His strike rate was higher than Salt’s. However, from that moment on, it all went downward for him. By the end of the 8th over, Kohli scored just 5 runs in the next 8 balls.
Now, some may can be contributed to the lack of strike. Since Salt was the one primarily facing the deliveries, Kohli couldn’t get the rhythm going. That’s a fair point. But, he couldn’t go even run a ball. When Salt departed for 78 in the 11th over, his strike rate was 216.67. When Kohli got out in the 15th, his was 131.58. Patidar was even more destructive, he went at 265 in the 15th over.
Just after Salt departed, New Zealand cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull suggested that Kohli should be retired out, like Ayush Mhatre was a day before. That fact that this was even thought was shows how poorly Kohli batted. Without his slowdown, RCB could’ve easily scored in excess of 250.
In fact, his knock could be the exact reason why RCB could even lose the game. For long, many have criticised his ability to increase the scoring rate in the middle overs. That was again an issue today. That too on a pitch where two of the top three faced fewer balls and scored more runs. It’s not like Kohli hasn’t tried to evolve but so far, he’s behind the modern T20 curve and it could be an issue for RCB. If not today, then in the future.
Retire Virat Kohli out! RCB star sticks out like a sore thumb amidst Phil Salt & Rajat Patidar’s demolition job Inside Sport India.
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