IPL 2026: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill engage in playful banter ahead of Qualifier 1

Published - 25 May 2026, 17:24 IST | Updated - 25 May 2026, 17:24 IST

The Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the 2026 Indian Premier League at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday, May 26.

Ahead of the high-stakes clash, a video has emerged showing Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill in a comedic moment before the game. In the video, Gill was seen speaking to RCB wicketkeeper and vice captain Jitesh Sharma. On noticing the duo, Kohli walked towards him, while Gill also came towards the veteran batter to greet him. Kohli then playfully grabbed Gill's beard and cheek, poking fun at the Titans' skipper.

How happy Gill looked seeing Virat, and the way Virat pulled Gill’s cheeks, it’s so cute

Gill has been prolific with the bat in IPL 2026. He sits second on the IPL run charts with 616 runs in 13 games at a brilliant strike rate of 161.67. He has scored six half-centuries and sits just behind teammate Sai Sudharsan in the Orange Cap list. He has responded brilliantly after missing out on selection for the T20 World Cup ahead of the IPL season.

Kohli has had another prolific season in the IPL, having scored 557 runs at a strike rate of 163.82. He has scored one century and four half-centuries, and has continued with his altered approach of taking on the bowlers on from the get-go. He has been racing further away as the highest run-scorer in the tournament's history, also crossing the milestone of 9,000 IPL runs.

The Titans and Royal Challengers met twice in IPL 2026, with both teams winning one game apiece. The first encounter saw the defending champions chase down a total of 206, with Kohli scoring a magnificent 81 off 44 balls. Sudharsan scored a magnificent century for the Titans in that clash.

Their next meeting saw Gill's men get even, bowling RCB out for 155, but they had a small hiccup in the chase before getting home with four wickets to spare. Gill scored a brilliant 43 off just 18 balls, setting the platform for the chase.