Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost the match by 55 runs, but because of their better run-rate topped the points table. However, after the match ended, Virat Kohli turning down a handshake offer from Travis Head, a spill over of their on-filed incident when RCB star batter was at the crease.
Kohli’s stay at the crease was brief where he scored 15 off 11 balls before being dismissed by Shakib Hussain. From the visuals it looked like Head riled up Kohli by asking him to play the big shots, and the latter asking him to come and bowl an over to him. Kohli didn’t stop at that and made his point by saying the Aussie gets subbed out as an Impact Player more often than not.
After the match, when the players had lined up and shaking hands, Head extended his hand towards Kohli, but the RCB star appeared to ignore him and looked ahead instead. Kohli shook hands with the player standing before Head and also greeted Ishan Kishan, who was behind him in the line. Head was then seen looking at Kohli as he walked past.
Interestingly, Head did bowl one over in the match, but was after Kohli had already been dismissed. He also managed to get the scalp of RCB captain Rajat Patidar.
Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan summed up the altercation while doing commentary. “Virat Kohli had invited Travis Head to come to bowl off-spin, he said you always go out as the Impact Player. The banter between the two started again, Kohli invited Head to bowl.”
At the end of the match, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also shared his thoughts on the incident.
“Travis Head did extend his hand, but Virat Kohli didn’t shake it. I don’t know what happened, but Kohli and Head had a bit of banter in the middle (when the RCB batter was on the pitch). The result of the banter was that Kohli refused to shake hands with Head,” he said on Star Sports.
