SRH vs RCB IPL 2026: Why Did Virat Kohli Not Shake Hands With Travis Head Post Match?

Virat Kohli grabbed eyeballs post Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, not for the match but for a tense moment post-match with Travis Head.

During the clash between RCB and SRH, both Kohli and Head exchanged some heated words in the post-match celebrations. The problem transpired after Kohli made a hasty and rash comment during the match, "Okay come down and bowl some deliveries."

However, the drama did not stop over there, King Kohli got out very soon, and it was Head's turn to return the verbatim in the exact same words. "Mate, you got out before I even came on to bowl," which infuriated the RCB star even more.

'No Handshake!': Virat & Head's Verbal Spat

The tension spilled over even after the game during the customary handshake line. Travis Head approached Virat Kohli for a handshake, but the former RCB skipper appeared to walk past without acknowledging him. Interestingly, Kohli did greet other SRH players, including captain Pat Cummins, which made the snub stand out even more.

Here's what happened:

IPL 2026: RCB Finish As Table Topper

Even in a heavy 55-run defeat, RCB managed to secure the top spot on the IPL points table by crossing the crucial 166-run threshold during their chase.

Earlier, SRH piled up a massive 255/4, powered by aggressive innings from Abhishek Sharma (56 off 22), Ishan Kishan (79 off 44), and Heinrich Klaasen (51 off 24). Klaasen, in particular, was ruthless, tearing into Josh Hazlewood in a punishing over.

RCB's chase never really gained momentum. Virat Kohli could only manage 15, and Devdutt Padikkal departed early. Still, a fighting 56 from Rajat Patidar and an unbeaten 41 by Krunal Pandya ensured RCB reached the target they needed, enough to seal a top-two finish and keep their hopes alive with two shots at making the final.

SRH came out firing with the bat from the very beginning. Abhishek Sharma took on Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the early overs, while Ishan Kishan combined clever placement with fearless strokeplay. Heinrich Klaasen then intensified the assault with his brute power, and a late flourish from Nitish Reddy carried SRH past the 250 mark.

While SRH celebrated a commanding victory, RCB had reason to be content as well, having done enough to finish at the top of the table.