Virat Kohli was in sheer shock as Rajat Patidar played beautiful shots to complete his half-century in Qualifier 1.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of their most destructive batting displays of IPL 2026 during the Qualifier 1 clash against Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala on Tuesday. However, amid the carnage, one moment that quickly grabbed social media attention was Virat Kohli’s priceless reaction to Rajat Patidar’s unbelievable six-hitting masterclass.
Patidar walked in after the dismissals of Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal in quick succession during the ninth over. At that stage, RCB had lost momentum slightly despite a strong powerplay start. But the RCB captain completely flipped the match within a matter of overs.
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The right-hander launched a brutal assault on the GT bowling attack, dismantling Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna with fearless strokeplay. Patidar raced to his half-century in just 21 balls, hammering towering sixes all around the ground while maintaining a strike rate well above 250.
As Patidar continued clearing the ropes effortlessly, cameras repeatedly captured Kohli’s stunned reaction from the dressing room balcony. The former RCB skipper was seen applauding passionately while wearing a wide smile, appearing genuinely amazed by the range and confidence shown by his captain under playoff pressure.
One particular six from Patidar over deep mid-wicket triggered a jaw-dropping response from Kohli, who momentarily stood frozen before clapping in admiration. The reaction instantly went viral across social media platforms.
Patidar eventually remained unbeaten on a sensational 93 off just 33 deliveries, smashing five boundaries and nine massive sixes. His breathtaking innings powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a mammoth 254/5 in 20 overs, one of the highest totals recorded in IPL playoff history.
Krunal Pandya also played a vital supporting role with a rapid 43 off 28 balls, while Jitesh Sharma added finishing touches late in the innings. Earlier, Kohli himself provided a fiery start with 43 off 25 deliveries before Jason Holder dismissed him.
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Despite Kohli’s aggressive cameo, the night firmly belonged to Rajat Patidar, whose fearless batting left even one of cricket’s greatest modern batters applauding in disbelief.
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