IPL Dispatch: Kohli, Sudharsan Punish Bowlers; Cummins To Take SRH Captaincy

The Virat Kohli show was in full swing during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT). The iconic batter dispelled any doubts about his injury issues and smashed 81 runs off 44 balls to set up the chase on a platter, helping RCB seal a five-wicket victory with seven balls left.

There were rumours about the beginning of the end when Kohli was demoted to the impact substitute role against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). However, even Father Time cannot stop Kohli when he is in full flow. And what will hurt Shubman Gill even more is that this knock was never meant to be.

On the very first ball he faced, Mohammed Siraj got Kohli to hit the ball straight to mid-wicket. All Washington Sundar had to do was collect the ball, and he fumbled it. It could have been a golden duck for Kohli, but once he was given that lease of life, he did not look back.

He went on a rampage against the GT bowlers, hitting eight boundaries and four maximums, batting at a strike rate of 184. The knock took him to the top of the Orange Cap leaderboard with 328 runs in seven innings.

By the time Jason Holder dismissed Kohli in the 14th over, the match was tilted in RCB’s favour, and Krunal Pandya’s late flurry took them over the line to take RCB to second in the IPL table. GT, after their three-game winning streak, remain stuck in seventh place.

However, RCB’s spot in the top two isn’t safe. Rajasthan Royals (RR), sitting third in the table and tied with RCB on 10 points, can rise to the summit if their youthful side manage a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday.

On the same day, Punjab Kings (PBKS), currently in first position, will look to safeguard their position when they take on Delhi Capitals (DC) in the national capital in the North Indian derby.

And Not To Forget Sudharsan

GT might have lost the battle against RCB, but Sai Sudharsan won hearts with a stunning century in just 58 balls. His knock was the main reason why the Titans managed to reach a 200-plus score. The youngster also broke a record, becoming the fastest batter to reach 2,000 runs in the IPL. He reached the feat in 47 innings, overtaking Chris Gayle’s record (48).

Cummins To Take SRH Captaincy?

After a wobbly start to their season, SRH have regrouped and have won three games on the trot. And the Sunrisers side will be further boosted by the return of Pat Cummins. The Australian pacer has been cleared to join the IPL team, and there’s a strong possibility he will take over the SRH captaincy from Ishan Kishan.

A mid-season change in captaincy will be a difficult transition for SRH, especially given the fine job Kishan has done as skipper. However, Cummins has won 15 of his 30 matches as captain and led SRH to a runners-up finish in 2024. The pacer picked up 34 wickets in the last two seasons and will combine perfectly with rising stars like Sakib Hussain.

Quote of the Day

Mumbai Indians struggling at the start of an IPL season is not new, but what’s new is their shocking record at the Wankhede Stadium this year. The five-time champions suffered three consecutive defeats at their home venue for the first time in 19 years, including a humiliating 103-run loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the last game.

“(In) modern-day (cricket), everyone is a professional. A lot of the guys who played World Cup have come back after a break to play the IPL,” MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said after the match.

“I don’t think even the players would put to that (fatigue), it’s about us getting the rhythm, getting that consistency – overall consistency is something we are lacking. Yes, (in) bowling, we need to improve but at the same time batting hasn’t been consistent as well.

“We just need to find that space where we can compete. If we play our best cricket, we have a great chance, but the confidence, the focus, the discipline has to be there for the next seven games.”

Master Blaster’s Birthday

Speaking about Mumbai Indians, Friday was the birthday of an icon of the franchise and Indian cricket – Sachin Tendulkar. The Master Blaster turned 53 on April 23, and the world cricket fraternity showered praise on the legendary batter.

“Happy Birthday, I am not going to eat this because I don’t eat sugar very often,” Sachin’s son Arjun Tendulkar said. “I will see you soon.”

“The man who gave me the best advice and whose advice I did the opposite of many times. Both worked. That’s how good he is. There is no manual on how to be great,” Virender Sehwag wrote. “But if there was, it would just be watching 24 years of Sachin paaji playing for our country.”

MI, too, shared a birthday wish for the God of Cricket on social media.

Photo of the Day

Life, death, and Rasikh Dar cramping up during a match – the three constants of life, or an IPL season. The Jammu and Kashmir bowler has had his struggles with injury, and went off the field against GT with a suspected hamstring issue. Hopefully, it is nothing serious.

Elsewhere…

Islamabad United booked their place in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 play-off with an eight-wicket win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in a low-scoring match. Islamabad joined Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans in the play-offs. One spot remains vacant, and there are three teams on eight points in what looks like a heated play-off race.

Meanwhile, Nepal will see the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two matches resume on Saturday. Nepal will host the United Arab Emirates at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground. Oman, Scotland, and the USA are the other teams participating.