Virat Kohli Falls Short Again in IPL Playoffs After a Decade
It has been ten long years since Virat Kohli last scored a fifty in the IPL playoffs. On Tuesday, during the Qualifier 1 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, Kohli once again missed out on reaching that milestone.
Facing a strong bowling attack from GT, Kohli was dismissed for 43 runs off 25 balls, falling just seven runs short of a half-century after Jason Holder knocked his stumps over in the ninth over. Despite not looking entirely comfortable at the crease, he maintained a solid strike rate of 172.
Kohli’s last fifty in an IPL playoff took place in 2016, when RCB faced SunRisers Hyderabad in the final. In that game, he scored 54 runs off 35 deliveries, but unfortunately, RCB lost that match in a dramatic fashion.
In the history of IPL playoffs, Kohli has only had two scores over fifty: the aforementioned 54 against SRH in 2016 and an unbeaten 70 against Chennai Super Kings in 2011. His highest playoff score remains that 70, which he achieved in a vibrant performance against CSK.
Kohli’s Fifty-Plus Scores in IPL Playoffs:
- 70* off 44 balls vs CSK, 2011
- 54 off 35 balls vs SRH, 2016
Kohli has participated in 17 IPL playoff matches, scoring a total of 396 runs. Although he has had remarkable consistency during the regular season, he has struggled to replicate that success in the crucial knockout rounds. With the 43 runs scored against GT, Kohli now has his highest playoff score since that 2016 final.
Kohli’s Playoff Scores Since 2016:
- 6 vs SRH, 2020
- 39 vs KKR, 2021
- 25 vs LSG, 2022
- 7 vs RR, 2022
- 33 vs RR, 2024
- 12 vs PBKS, 2025
- 43 vs GT, 2026
In Tuesday’s match, captain Rajat Patidar shone brightly for RCB, taking charge in the final five overs and leading the team to an impressive total of 254 runs for five wickets. Kohli’s contributions, along with notable innings from Devdutt Padikkal (30 off 18) and Krunal Pandya (43 off 28), laid a strong foundation for RCB’s record-breaking score in playoffs.
Patidar’s remarkable 93 not out off just 33 balls capped off an exciting performance from the team, securing them the highest-ever score in IPL playoffs.
As the action continues in IPL 2026, fans will be eager to see if Kohli can finally break his ten-year drought in the playoff scoring department.
