IPL 2026: Virat Kohli's Masterclass Against Gujarat Titans Virat Kohli delivered a standout performance in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Opening the innings, Kohli scored 81 off 44 balls at a strike rate of 184.09, reclaiming the Orange Cap with 328 runs from seven innings. His innings, marked by calculated aggression and precision, set the tone for RCB's dominant chase of a target of 206. Dale Steyn, a former teammate of Kohli at RCB, praised his ability to adapt to the high-tempo nature of T20 cricket. "He's a genius," Steyn said on ESPNcricinfo's Time:Out show. "He plays what's in front of him. He reads the situation. Probably one of the best players that I've ever known that reads the situation and calculates how the game needs to be panned out from the first ball that he's faced." Ian Bishop, another commentator, echoed the sentiment, calling Kohli "the best chaser to have ever played the game." Kohli's partnership with Devdutt Padikkal was pivotal in RCB's success. Padikkal scored a 27-ball 55, forming a 115-run second-wicket stand in 59 balls with Kohli, who contributed 59 off 32 balls. Padikkal reflected on the team's confidence after GT's innings: "We felt they were probably 15-20 runs short, which gave us the confidence going into the batting innings." Kohli's ability to maintain a high strike rate has been a hallmark of his career. While he first surpassed a strike rate of 140 in 2010, it took him until 2024 to consistently achieve it. His 2025 season saw a strike rate of 144.71, and this season, he has averaged 163.18. Despite his age, Kohli has remained a consistent performer, scoring over 400 runs in every IPL season since 2016, with his highest tally of 973 in 2016.#virat_kohli #royal_challengers_bengaluru #gujarat_titans #devdutt_padikkal #dave_steyn
