Virat Kohli and Travis Head share verbal banter during SRH vs RCB

Virat Kohli was involved in an animated exchange with Travis Head during the Indian Premier League match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Uppal Stadium on Friday, May 22. The match, which had significant implications in the battle for the top two spots, saw tension rise between the two star batsmen during the second innings.

SRH vs RCB: Update | Scorecard

The incident occurred during Shivang Kumar’s first over of the innings when Venkatesh Iyer was attacking the bowler aggressively and scored loosely down the ground. Amidst the onslaught, Kohli was seen gesturing towards Head, who was heading towards the mid-wicket region, seemingly asking him to come play.

The broadcast commentators interpreted Kohli’s gestures as saying to Head: “Come on, get some off-spin.”

As Venkatesh continued his onslaught and smashed 23 runs, Kohli repeatedly clashed with Head from the non-striker’s end, encouraged the Australian opener to try his luck with the ball. In the end, Kohli was also seen waving his Head away in what appeared to be a light-hearted exchange.

Check out Travis Head. when Virat Kohli says so many things to him, he still reacts very calmly and normally. We’ve seen many times that Travis Head believes in answering with the bat, not the mouth. pic.twitter.com/6OA92WZ5YF— (@rushiii_12) May 22, 2026

While the moment was largely seen as playful banter between two aggressive competitors, Kohli’s expressions carried his signature intensity. Meanwhile, Head responded with a nod, adding more intrigue to the interaction between the two players.

KOHLI SHAKES HIS HEAD?

It wasn’t the only moment involving the two during the match. In another instance, as Head moved across the field to adjust his position, he crossed paths with Kohli, who again appeared to have a few words towards the Australian batsman.

Earlier in the first inning, Sunrisers Hyderabad batsmen dominated the Bengal bowling attack, they amassed a mammoth total of 256 runs in their 20 overs. Head was among the key contributors before eventually losing his wicket. Virat Kohli animated after the wicket of Travi Head (Photo: Screenshot from X)

After Head’s dismissal, Kohli was seen celebrating vividly from the field and making a shout-like gesture towards the departing batsman. The celebration quickly gained attention on social media, especially given the visible exchanges between the two players later in the game.

However, Kohli’s own innings did not last long enough for the banter to continue in a more direct match. The former RCB skipper struggled to find a rhythm during the chase and was eventually dismissed after hitting a delivery from Sakib Hussain straight to cover field. Head came to bowl in the 18th over and took the wicket of RCB captain Rajat Patidar on the second ball.

The match ended up delivering both great entertainment and fiery on-field interactions, with Kohli once again in the limelight during a pivotal IPL encounter.

– The end

Published on:

22 May 2026 23:26 IST

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