Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on Tuesday, May 26 for a place in the summit clash of the IPL 2026 season.
And as is always the case when RCB is playing, the focus will be on Virat Kohli and the team will hope he can produce a match winning innings like he has done on multiple occasions in not just this season, but in previous years as well.
The opener has enjoyed another productive season with the bat this year, the ninth time he has accumulated more than 500 runs in a season. However, his record in the Playoffs are pretty ordinary by his lofty standards.
The 37-year-old has scored just 363 runs in 15 innings with just two half-centuries. His strike rate and average have been below par, especially in the context of the modern T20 game- the former RCB captain averages just 25.92 in the knockout stage, and his strike rate is a paltry 119.80.
In last year’s Playoffs where RCB took part in Qualifier 1 and the Final, Kohli scored a run a ball 12 in Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings while he scored a 35-ball 43 in the final against the same opposition.
Virat Kohli’s record in IPL Playoffs
Matches played- 15
Runs scored- 363
Strike rate- 119.80
Average- 25.92
HS-70*
Published on May 26, 2026
