After dropping Virat Kohli for 7, Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Shivam Dube found redemption as he bowled the ball in relief after completing a clean catch to dismiss the RCB batsman for 28 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash.
The opportunity came early. Kohli, on 7, went to Khaleel Ahmed, who pulled his length back. The shot missed and went high into the middle. Dube ran back but never got into a stable position and put her down. Khaleel dropped to his knees with his hands on his head. He knew that man could hurt.
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Kohli didn’t flow at his best in the beginning. The surface at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was slower, making timing difficult in the opening overs. There was no boundary in the first three overs, only the fourth such instance in the IPL since 2024. Both Kohli and Phil Salt struggled to find the middle ground, the balls held and did not reach the ropes.
The drop changed the course of the game. Kohli responded immediately, blasting Matt Henry for a six over mid-wicket before hitting a tight boundary down the ground. From 9 balls off 10, he moved to 24 off 15 at the end of the fourth over and began to look more composed.
For CSK, already under pressure after losses to Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, this was a moment they could not afford. The error allowed RCB to push ahead after a quiet start.
They needed a change and turned to Anshul Kamboj. He delivered right away. Kamboj read Kohli’s intention to advance and hit a hard length, generating another bounce from the pitch.
Kohli went through the stroke but didn’t make it. The ball took the top edge and went high towards long-on. Dube, this time in the deep, ran in, got under him early and held on with both hands.
There was clear relief when Dube dropped the ball after completing the catch. Kohli was out for 28 off 18 balls, with two fours and a six, and Kamboj had his wicket in the very third delivery.
The wicket came just as Kohli was settling down and pulled things together for CSK after an early reprieve.
After two losses earlier in the season, Ruturaj Gaikwad finally got lucky in the draw in Bengaluru. CSK opted for the first points of the season.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
05 Apr 2026 20:25 IST
