Virat Kohli Gets Slammed For Not Shaking Hands With Travis Head Over Minor Altercation 

Virat Kohli is known for his aggressive celebrations, such as the one he used after Shubman Gill's wicket against GT, earlier this season.

Virat Kohli Gets Slammed For Not Shaking Hands With Travis Head Over Minor Altercation 

Virat Kohli refused to shake hands with Travis Head following RCB-SRH clash. (via Hindustan Times)

In Short
  • Virat Kohli faced backlash for refusing to shake hands with Travis Head after an on-field altercation during the IPL 2026 match.
  • RCB lost to SRH by 55 runs but still secured a spot in Qualifier 1, finishing at the top of the standings.
  • Fans criticized Kohli's aggressive behavior and perceived hypocrisy after he sledged Head during the match.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad was highly intense, dominated by the fiery on-field confrontation between Virat Kohli and Travis Head. The tensions continued even after the match, when Kohli refused to shake Head’s hand.

Despite suffering a 55-run defeat to SRH, RCB still finished at the top of the standings, securing a spot in Qualifier 1. Batting first, the Orange Army raced to a massive first-innings total of 255/4, guided by half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (79 off 46), Abhishek Sharma (56 off 22), and Heinrich Klaasen (51 off 24). The defending champions, in response, could only manage 200/4 in the end. Rajat Patidar top-scored with 56 off 39, while Venkatesh Iyer (44 off 19) and Krunal Pandya (41 off 31) chipped in. 

It was a rather dismal outing for Virat Kohli, who was dismissed after scoring just 15 runs off 11 balls. However, it is impossible for one to keep the 37-year-old away from the headlines. Following the match, both teams had lined up for the customary handshakes.

As the line moved, SRH opener Travis Head was seen extending his hand out towards Kohli for a handshake, but the latter completely ignored the gesture, walking right past Australia without acknowledging him. 

The controversy had, in fact, gradually brewed throughout both innings of the match. When the left-hander was dismissed during SRH’s innings, Kohli celebrated aggressively, something that the 32-year-old likely remembered. Later during the chase, Head, who was fielding at mid-wicket, attempted to distract Kohli by provoking him to hit some big shots, similar to the way his RCB opening partner Venkatesh Iyer was. 

The banter appeared to irritate the Indian batter, who was observed turning toward Head whenever Iyer hit a six or when he got out. Kohli mocked the Australian’s role as an Impact Player, and sarcastically told him to come and bowl some deliveries.

However, Kohli’s gestures were immediately followed by his own wicket by Sakib Hussain in the 6th over. As the RCB star walked off fuming, Head shot back by suggesting the 37-year-old got out before he could even bowl, likely leaving him frustrated.

Adding to the situation, Pat Cummins did actually introduce Travis Head to bowl in the 18th over of RCB’s innings. The 32-year-old went on to pick the crucial wicket of Rajat Patidar, which was, in fact, the very first over he bowled in this year’s IPL. 

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Virat Kohli snubs Travis Head’s handshake; fans react angrily after RCB-SRH game

RCB icon Virat Kohli, during his team’s final league stage clash of IPL 2026 against SRH, had an on-field banter with Australian Travis Head. The two players exchanged sharp words during the match, following which Kohli refused to shake hands with Head. 

Fans slam Virat Kohli
Fans slammed Virat Kohli for his banter with Travis Head during RCB-SRH clash. (via X)

The veteran batter, who never backs down from verbal duels, made fun of the Aussie opener’s role as an Impact Substitute during RCB’s innings. Quite a few times, Travis Head has been substituted to make way for a bowler, but it was not the case against the Royal Challengers, which allowed Kohli to take a dig. Fans found fault with the 37-year-old’s behavior, suggesting that his comments triggered the SRH player.

Fans observed that Head clearly wanted to leave the on-field banter behind, but Kohli was not ready to concede. Critics also highlighted the hypocrisy of the RCB icon’s fans, pointing out that they usually lash out at any player who sledges Kohli. Some fans exclaimed it was unnecessary for the Indian batting star to do so, and that he got carried away. One fan even labeled Kohli as the ‘drama king’. 

Interestingly, the feud did not stop after the match; Travis Head posted a cryptic social media story featuring a picture of high bowling and the caption, “Keep the body guessing.” It was widely interpreted by fans as an indirect jab at Kohli for not bowling in the IPL.

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