Virat Kohli vs Travis Head: What led to the viral ‘no handshake’ between the two IPL stars

Virat Kohli and Travis Head (Image: X/Screengrab) During the high-voltage IPL 2026 clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 22, a fiery battle of words between Virat Kohli and Travis Head spilled over into a post-match handshake. The incident unfolded during RCB’s dismal chase of 256, with Kohli and Head exchanging harsh words in the middle. Head first sparked the exchange by challenging Kohli for attacking shots during his brief stint at the crease. Never one to back down from verbal sparring, Kohli responded with a sarcastic gesture aimed at Head’s role as an Impact Player for SRH. The former RCB skipper mockingly signaled the ‘Impact Player’ substitution sign and told Head to come down and bowl himself rather than chirp off the pitch.Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who was on commentary duty during the game, explained the sequence of events.“Virat Kohli invited Travis Head to come bowl off-spin, he said you always go out as an Impact Player. The banter between the two started again, Kohli invited Head to bowl,” Pathan said during commentary on Star Sports.In fact, Head lost one in the match but after Kohli had already been dismissed. The SRH star picked up the wicket of RCB skipper Rajat Patidar at his lone end. After SRH’s commanding 55-run victory, players from both teams lined up for the customary handshake. During the exchange, Head extended his hand towards Kohli in an apparent attempt to move on from the heated on-field confrontation.However, Kohli completely ignored the gesture and walked straight past the Australian opener without making eye contact. Interestingly, Kohli continued to warmly greet other SRH players and staff, including captain Pat Cummins and opener Abhishek Sharma.Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also weighed in on the controversial moment during his appearance on Star Sports.“Travis Head extended his hand but Virat Kohli didn’t shake it. I don’t know what happened but Kohli and Head had a bit of banter in the middle. The banter resulted in Kohli refusing to shake Head’s hand,” Harbhajan said.