Irfan Pathan highlights Kohli's "aggressive Australian-style intensity" after batter's on-field exchange with Head in SRH vs RCB match
Mumbai, May 23
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan said that Virat Kohli brings an "Australian-style intensity" to the game after the legendary batter was involved in a heated on-field exchange with Travis Head during the Indian Premier League 2026 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.
The incident escalated further when Kohli did not shake hands with Head during the customary post-match handshakes.
During RCB's chase against SRH, Kohli was seen having words with Head. While it was not clear what the players said to each other, Kohli looked animated.
Speaking on JioHostar, JioStar expert Irfan Pathan said that Kohli thrives on aggressive, high-intensity cricket and that his on-field exchange with Head was a natural outcome of competitive spirit, describing it as normal banter in a high-pressure IPL match.
"Virat Kohli has always enjoyed playing cricket with that aggressive Australian-style intensity, a bit of banter, competitiveness, and emotion on the field. During that moment, he was asking Travis Head to come on and bowl a few deliveries instead of remaining off the field as an impact substitute. These kinds of exchanges are quite natural in high-pressure games, especially when both teams are competing for crucial positions on the points table. In the end, it was simply part of the intensity and competitive spirit that comes with top-level cricket," he said.
After SRH won the match, Kohli appeared not to choose to shake Head's hand during the post-match handshakes. As both teams lined up for the customary post-match handshakes, Kohli exchanged greetings with SRH captain Pat Cummins and Abhishek Sharma but appeared to ignore Head, who had already extended his hand, before moving on to the next player.
Coming to the SRH vs RCB clash, Pat Cummins-led side, while batting first, posted a massive 255/4, powered by explosive half-centuries from Ishan Kishan (79), Abhishek Sharma (56) and Heinrich Klaasen (51).
Nitish Kumar Reddy also provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 29.
In reply, RCB started aggressively through Venkatesh Iyer (44 off 19 balls), but regular wickets halted their chase. Rajat Patidar scored 56 while Krunal Pandya remained unbeaten on 41, but RCB finished at 200/4. Eshan Malinga starred with the ball for SRH, taking 2/33 in a dominant victory.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an Australian fan, I actually love this. We've always had that aggressive edge, and seeing Kohli embrace it makes the game more exciting. Head should have just bowled instead of being an impact sub if he wanted to avoid confrontation! 😄
Honestly, this is getting old. Kohli is a legend but he needs to control his temper. Skipping handshakes sets a bad example for young cricketers. RCB lost anyway, so all that aggression was for nothing. 🤷♀️
Irfan Pathan is spot on. Cricket needs characters like Kohli who wear their heart on their sleeve. The handshake thing is overblown - happens in the heat of the moment. Both teams played awesome cricket, SRH was just better on the day. Great match overall! 🏏
I'm a huge Kohli fan, but this was unnecessary. Head is a professional and didn't deserve that. Plus, what's with asking an impact sub to bowl? That's just game tactics. Kohli should channel this energy into his batting instead. 255 is a scary total though! 😱
Typical Kohli - entertainment guaranteed! 🔥 Whether you love him or hate him, you can't ignore him. That said, the handshake thing was awkward. But hey, these things happen in IPL. SRH bowled brilliantly, especially Malinga. E shaana, what a match! 🏆
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