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Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Wasim Jaffer took issue with Virat Kohli's post-match etiquette following Friday’s high-scoring IPL 2026 fixture. Jaffer called out his former teammate for deliberately snubbing Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head during the traditional post-game handshakes. The tension capped off a dramatic night where SRH bested RCB by 55 runs, though the victory wasn't enough to push Hyderabad into the coveted top two spots on the leaderboard owing to an inferior net run rate.
Spar of words between Virat Kohli and Travis Head
The bad blood between the two marquee players reportedly bubbled up early in the second innings as RCB attempted to chase down a daunting target of 255. Kohli and Head were seen trading barbs on the field almost immediately, with Kohli explicitly challenging the Australian to take the ball before taunting him with a sarcastic "Impact Player" gesture.
This heated war of words only intensified as the game progressed, bubbling over in the fourth over when Venkatesh Iyer dismantled left-arm spinner Shivang Kumar for 23 runs. The boiling point finally arrived in the sixth over; upon Kohli's dismissal by Sakib Hussain, Head made sure to send the departing Indian batsman off with a few final, choice words as he walked back to the dugout.
At least he should have shaken hands: Jaffer on Kohli-Head controversy
As the match drew to a close, a visibly frustrated Virat Kohli could be seen stewing in the dugout, reportedly still incensed by his earlier run-in with Travis Head. This lingering animosity became undeniable during the post-game rituals. While Kohli politely exchanged handshakes with the majority of the Sunrisers Hyderabad lineup, he made a conscious effort to completely snub the Australian batsman.
Weighing in on the controversy on his YouTube channel, Wasim Jaffer suggested that Kohli needs to be far more mindful of his conduct on the field. Jaffer highlighted that as a legendary figure in modern cricket, Kohli's responsibilities extend beyond standard on-field rivalries; he must also safeguard his own immense stature and consider how his behavioral lapses influence millions of fans watching around the globe.
Watch the video here:
By finishing at the summit of the league table, Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru have booked a date with the Gujarat Titans in the high-stakes Qualifier 1. This crucial clash is locked in for May 26 at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
The rewards for winning Qualifier 1 are massive, as the victor advances directly to the IPL grand finale, set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31. The defeated side will still have a safety net, earning a second shot at the final by moving into Qualifier 2. That do-or-die fixture will be played on May 29 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
Concurrently, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have locked down a third-place finish, relegating them to the Eliminator match on May 27 in Mullanpur, where they await the confirmation of their fourth-place opponents. The roadmap to the championship from there is straightforward: the winner of this Eliminator will clash with the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2, with the ultimate survivor earning the right to compete for the trophy against the first finalist in Ahmedabad.
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