Virat Kohli Snubs Travis Head Handshake After Heated On-Field IPL Altercation
Tensions boiled over during a high-stakes Indian Premier League encounter between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), culminating in a post-match handshake refusal by Virat Kohli. The incident followed an intense verbal exchange with Australian opener Travis Head during RCB’s attempt to chase down a massive 256-run target.
The Impact Player Exchange
The confrontation began while Kohli was batting. Head challenged the RCB veteran to play more aggressive shots, prompting an immediate response. Kohli mocked Head’s usage as a substitute under the official IPL match regulations, gesturing toward the dugout and suggesting the Australian should bowl rather than field.
Former India international Irfan Pathan detailed the exchange during the live broadcast. “Virat Kohli had invited Travis Head to come to bowl off-spin,” Pathan stated. “He said you always go out as the Impact Player. The banter between the two started again, Kohli invited Head to bowl.”
Head eventually bowled a single over after Kohli’s dismissal, successfully claiming the wicket of RCB captain Rajat Patidar. SRH secured a commanding 55-run victory, restricting RCB to 201 in the second innings.
Match Summary
| Team | Innings Score | Match Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 256 | Won by 55 runs |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 201 | Lost by 55 runs |
Post-Match Handshake Refusal
The standard post-game procedures require players from both franchises to line up for handshakes. As the teams crossed paths, Head extended his hand toward Kohli to acknowledge the conclusion of the match. Kohli bypassed the gesture entirely, walking past the SRH player without establishing eye contact. Kohli proceeded to exchange pleasantries with the rest of the SRH roster, including captain Pat Cummins and opening batter Abhishek Sharma.
Former Board of Control for Cricket in India spinner Harbhajan Singh addressed the interaction on the broadcast, a moment rapidly analyzed across sports databases like ESPNcricinfo.
“Travis Head did extend his hand, but Virat Kohli didn’t shake it,” Singh noted. “I don’t know what happened, but Kohli and Head had a bit of banter in the middle. The result of the banter was that Kohli refused to shake hands with Head.”
Incident Timeline
- Travis Head verbally challenged Virat Kohli’s shot selection during the run chase.
- Kohli retaliated by mocking Head’s utilization as a substitute player and challenged him to bowl.
- Head bowled one over later in the innings, dismissing Rajat Patidar.
- Kohli bypassed Head’s extended hand during the post-match sequence but greeted Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma.