On a flat, placid Wankhede track, Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) talisman, failed to find the desired timing and struggled to move the pace along in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
However, it was not for lack of trying. The right-handed batter tried his best, but it wasn’t just his day. The 37-year-old would be the first to raise his hand and accept that he failed to achieve the desired results and maintain a strike rate above 200.
However, it was no surprise to see Virat being angry at himself after losing his wicket to Hardik Pandya. On the Wankhede track, where Phil Salt (78) and Rajat Patidar (53) batted with strike rates of 216.67 and 265, respectively, Kohli got his 50 runs at a strike rate of 131.58. It took the batter 37 balls to register his half-century.
After being dismissed by the Mumbai Indians captain on the fourth delivery of the 14th over, Virat threw his gloves and helmet in disgust. The former RCB captain was clearly not pleased with how his innings unfolded in the middle against the five-time champions.
It is worth noting that the batting maestro didn’t even celebrate his half-century once he got to the landmark.
Earlier, when Phil Salt lost his wicket and RCB captain Patidar walked out to bat, one also saw Tim David standing on the sidelines, and it was then that broadcaster and former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull contemplated what might be going on in the middle.
Doull said the messaging to Virat was clear, with David standing on the sidelines and the instructions being: Get on with it.
“Tim David is standing there. Wonder if Rajat Patidar has brought in a little message for Virat: Get on with it, or we might have to sub you out,” said Doull on air.
RCB hammer runs for fun
The marquee fixture between Mumbai and RCB started with Hardik winning the toss and opting to bowl. Salt got RCB off to a flier as he teed off from the start, hitting Mitchell Santner, Hardik and Mayank Markande for fun. On the other hand, Kohli rotated the strike, bringing the big-hitter on strike.
Salt lost his wicket, and then Patidar took the mantle of being the aggressor. Virat eventually brought up his fifty in the 15th over, but also lost his wicket in the same over. In the end, RCB posted 240/4 on the board as Tim David also chipped in with an unbeaten 34 off just 16 balls, including two fours and three sixes. For Mumbai, Hardik, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner and Shardul Thakur returned with one wicket each.
In the end, RCB staged an 18-run win after restricting the Mumbai Indians to 222/5 in 20 overs. Sherfane Rutherford was the standout performer for MI as he hit an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.