Virat Kohli turns back after umpire signals him to walk, argues with Shubman Gill before having the last laugh

Virat Kohli was convinced that Shubman Gill's catch wasn't clean, and he made his point clear.

Updated on: Jun 1, 2026, 10:13:24 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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Virat Kohli was the star once again as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated the Gujarat Titans by five wickets to clinch consecutive IPL (Indian Premier League) titles. Kohli remained unbeaten on 75, smashing his fastest IPL fifty – off 25 balls – to win the much-deserved Player of the Match award. RCB joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) as only the third IPL team to go back-to-back, and, like the man under whom he captained, MS Dhoni, Kohli scored the winning runs with a six.

Virat Kohli did not agree with Shubman Gill (PTI)

However, just before that, Kohli found himself at the centre of drama when he was almost dismissed. Kohli was on 63 when Shubman Gill seemingly held on to a catch, bringing his superb knock to an end. But Kohli wasn't convinced. He knew it wasn't as straightforward as it looked. After consulting the umpire, Kohli was initially told to walk. But just as he started making his way back, he quickly turned around. The third umpire was summoned, and that's when things got really interesting.

Also Read: What Virat Kohli said about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi moments after RCB won IPL 2026

The replay showed that Gill's catch wasn't clean. After Kohli mistimed a delivery from Arshad Khan, Gill dived low in front, but as he attempted to get his hands underneath the ball, a part of it appeared to be in contact with the ground. After reviewing multiple angles, the third umpire was convinced. Kohli had survived and earned the opportunity to remain in the middle and put the finishing touches on the chase.

Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi receives a Virat Kohli surprise after earning Sachin Tendulkar's ultimate stamp of approval

Even as the replays played on the big screen, Kohli gestured towards them before walking up to Gill, appearing to disagree with the GT captain's claim that the catch was clean. Moments later, when the giant NOT OUT flashed up in green, Kohli pumped his fist in celebration, ultimately having the last laugh.

Watch the drama below:

Kohli makes it count

Kohli ended the season with 675 runs – his fourth straight year of scoring more than 600 runs – to finish fourth on the leading run-getter list, behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (776), Gill (732) and Sai Sudharsan.

Led by Kohli, RCB gunned down GT's total of 155. Batting first, GT suffered a top-order collapse, with Gill and Sudharsan falling cheaply. Washington Sundar's 50 dragged the Titans past 150, but as it turned out, it was never going to be enough. Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer gave RCB a blazing start, racing to 62 in just 4.3 overs. Rashid Khan offered GT a glimmer of hope by removing captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in the same over, but Kohli remained unbeaten till the end to guide RCB to his and their second IPL title.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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