Virat Kohli Injury Update: Why Did the RCB Star Stay Off the Field Against MI?

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar offered fans a positive update, confirming Virat Kohli's availability for the team's upcoming fixtures after injury scare.

Virat Kohli Injury Update: Why Did the RCB Star Stay Off the Field Against MI?

Virat Kohli did not field during the second innings of RCB's clash against MI, due to a minor injury on his left leg (Image via News 18)

In Short
  • Virat Kohli missed fielding in the second innings against MI due to an ankle injury.
  • He scored 50 runs off 38 balls before experiencing discomfort while batting.
  • RCB management decided to keep him off the field to avoid aggravating his injury.

It was a disappointing day for Virat Kohli fans at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, as they did not witness him field during the second innings of RCB’s IPL 2026 clash against MI. His absence was reportedly a measure taken by the team management due to an injury.

RCB and MI locked horns in a thrilling high-scoring fixture, which the defending champions won by 18 runs in the end. Batting first, the visitors, aiming to return to winning ways after the thumping loss to Rajasthan Royals last week, put up a massive 240/4 on the board. Phil Salt top-scored with 78 runs off 36 balls, while Kohli (50 off 38), Rajat Patidar (53 off 20) and Tim David (34 off 16) also contributed.

MI’s chase suffered an early setback after Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt due to a hamstring injury. The 241-run target proved out of reach for them, despite contributions from Hardik Pandya (40 off 22), Ryan Rickelton (37 off 22) and Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 22).

Suyash Sharma was the pick among the RCB bowlers, as he scalped two wickets. A late surge from Sherfane Rutherford (71 off 31) helped MI finish close at 222/5. 

It was a tough outing for both the veterans, with Kohli even abstaining from fielding in second innings. Virat Kohli had begun experiencing discomfort while batting, as a result of which he could only bat at a strike-rate of around 130.

Cameras then focused on how the 37-year-old struggled to navigate up the stairs to the dressing room after his dismissal. He was spotted in the dugout wearing a jacket, while the rest of the team returned to defend the total.

It was later reported that the RCB management, in order to avoid aggravating the ‘niggle’ in his left ankle, decided to keep him off the field. Jacob Bethell took over Kohli’s fielding duties. Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri even revealed that Kohli has not been in the best of health lately. Shastri, who shares a close relationship with the former India captain, explained that the batter has been dealing with slight fever.

It was uncharacteristic for Kohli to struggle while batting, and he will be looking to bounce back to form when RCB take on LSG next on April 15. The Royal Challengers are currently third in the standings, having won three out of the four matches. 

Shubman Gill’s fifty in GT vs. LSG win eclipses a major Virat Kohli record

Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill has now achieved a historic milestone in the IPL, with his record even surpassing that of the tournament’s all-time leading run-scorer, Virat Kohli. The 26-year-old did so during the franchise’s clash against LSG on Sunday (April 12).

Shubman Gill Virat Kohli record
Shubman Gill broke Virat Kohli’s record to become the fastest to 4,000 IPL runs. (Image via Republic)

Gill and Co. faced no trouble in chasing down the 165-run target, going past the finish line in 18.4 overs with seven wickets in hand. In bowling, Prasidh Krishna reminisced his 2025 form, picking up his first four-wicket haul of the season. During the chase, Gill and Jos Buttler put up an impressive 84-run stand off 58 balls for the second wicket, with the GT captain contributing with a 56-run knock off 40 balls.

Gill became the youngest player in IPL history to reach 4,000 runs. At 26 years and 216 days old, he went past Kohli’s decade-old record. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru icon had achieved this feat in 2016, at the age of 27 years and 195 days. Shubman Gill now has 4,031 runs in 121 matches in the IPL, at a decent average of 39.91 and a strike-rate of 139.04, including four hundreds.

In the IPL this summer, he is Gujarat Titans’ second-highest run-getter. Gill has scored 165 runs in the three matches he has played so far, at an average of 55 and a strike-rate of 147.32, including two fifties, the first one coming in a successful effort against Delhi Capitals.

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