Virat Kohli And Travis Head’s Heated IPL 2026 Exchange Brings Up Sachin Tendulkar Comparison

Virat Kohli ignored Travis Head during the post-match handshake following SRH’s dominant IPL 2026 win over RCB, triggering major debate across social media.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Virat Kohli found himself at the centre of another IPL controversy after appearing to ignore Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head during the post-match handshakes on Friday night.

The incident took place after SRH defeated RCB by 55 runs in their IPL 2026 encounter. During the match, Kohli and Head were involved in a fiery verbal exchange in the Powerplay, with cameras capturing an animated conversation between the two aggressive batters.

The tension seemingly carried beyond the game as players from both teams lined up for the customary handshakes after the match.

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Viral Handshake Moment Sparks Social Media Debate

As the RCB and SRH squads exchanged greetings, Virat Kohli was seen shaking hands with several Hyderabad players and support staff members before walking past Travis Head, who had extended his hand.

The moment instantly went viral across social media platforms, with fans sharply divided over the incident.

While a section of fans criticised Kohli and labelled the act unsportsmanlike, others defended the former RCB captain by pointing toward Travis Head’s aggressive behaviour during the earlier on-field confrontation.

The handshake snub quickly became one of the most discussed moments from the IPL 2026 clash.

Last night incident of Virat Kohli ignoring Travis Head after the match. Now you know the big difference between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. The former respects the Spirit of the Game, latter seems to be ignorant of that most important aspect of the game.

— Makarand Waingankar (@wmakarand) May 23, 2026

Kohli ka character hi aisa hai.. he can never match the aura of Sachin.. itne din khelne ke baad sportsman spirit v sikh nahi paya… Ek baat hai achha cricketer hona.. ek baat hai achha insaan hona.. cricketer toh achha ban gaya.. bt insaan nahi

— दुःखी आत्मा (@gelhu206) May 23, 2026

That's the reason cricketer kohli will never come close to Sachin

— Sourav Sarkar (@profmagh) May 23, 2026

Sachin is Sachin nobody can be Sachin but KING Kohli is different and he will always be his version he won't copy anyone and we love it aap tension mat kijiye 👍 these people forgot his good things same person told Indian fans to not mock Smith and Naveen btw 👎🙏

— CLASS X B (@patil_sidd61887) May 23, 2026

Kohli’s History Of IPL Confrontations Resurfaces

The latest episode also reminded fans of Virat Kohli’s previous high-profile confrontations in the IPL. One of the biggest incidents came during IPL 2023, when Kohli had a heated altercation with former India teammate Gautam Gambhir after an intense match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants.

That confrontation escalated significantly after the game, forcing players and team officials to intervene and separate the duo. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later imposed heavy fines on both Kohli and Gambhir following the controversy.

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With emotions running high during the business end of IPL 2026, the Kohli-Travis Head incident has once again highlighted the intensity and pressure surrounding marquee clashes in the tournament.