Virat Kohli's record in the Indian Premier League playoffs has sent warning bells to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of their Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans on Tuesday, May 26. Kohli has been instrumental in RCB reaching their third straight playoffs, having scored 557 runs in the 14 league stage matches this season.
The RCB icon has smashed one century and four half tons this season, and has donned the orange cap on a few occasions. He bagged a couple of ducks but has been RCB's highest-run scorer for another time, after having churned up big runs in many previous seasons.
Kohli's playoffs record becomes major talking point
However, Kohli's record in the IPL playoffs remains far from great and has been one of the major talking points ahead of the knockouts. Kohli has played in 17 knockout matches, including the four finals in 2009, 2011, 2016 and 2025.
In 17 IPL knockout innings, the 37-year-old has scored only 396 runs at an average of 26.4 and an underwhelming strike rate of 121.1. He has hit just two fifties in the playoffs, with one being an unbeaten 70 in Qualifier 1 against the Chennai Super Kings in 2011 and the other being a 54 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2016 final.
Kohli's record inferior to even Gill
Meanwhile, Kohli's playoff record is even inferior to that of GT captain Shubman Gill. The current GT skipper has hit 475 runs in 11 innings at an average of 47.5 and a strike rate of 144.81. Gill has hit a hundred and a fifty, with the half ton coming for the Kolkata Knight Riders when he made 51 against the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2021 final that his team lost. He hit a hundred against the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 in IPL 2023 in the winning cause.
Place in the final up for grabs
RCB take on GT in Qualifier 1 as a place in the IPL final remains up for grabs. RCB are the defending champions of the tournament, having won their maiden title after beating Punjab Kings last year, while GT won it in 2022 after defeating the Rajasthan Royals.
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