Virat Kohli vs Rashid Khan: Virat Kohli is in strong form this season. He has scored 247 runs in 6 innings, averaging 49.40 with a strike rate of 157.32. He already has two fifties. His attacking intent is clear, with a higher stroke rate than last season. He is also close to a big milestone, just 92 runs away from 9,000 IPL runs.
Rashid Khan has also returned to top form. He is performing well again after a quiet 2025 season. In his last match, he took 3/17 and kept things tight with an economy of 4.25. This season, his overall economy is 6.87, showing he is still very hard to score against.
In the spotlight: Virat Kohli vs Rashid Khan
Virat Kohli vs Rashid Khan has always been a tight contest.
Kohli has scored 108 runs off 85 balls against Rashid in T20s. But Rashid has dismissed him 3 times. The strike rate of 127 shows Kohli finds it hard to dominate him.
Rashid’s strength is control. He mixes googlies and reads the batter well. His plan is to stop boundaries and force mistakes.
Kohli, though, has done well against Gujarat Titans overall. He has 351 runs against them at a very high average. He has also attacked Rashid in some matches, like scoring 51 off 32 in IPL 2022.
At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the pitch changes things. It is flat with short boundaries, so even good balls can go for runs. That puts pressure on Rashid to be very accurate.
So this battle is simple. If Rashid controls Kohli early, GT can slow RCB. If Kohli gets going, he can dominate and take the game away.
RCB vs GT Preview: Strong Starts vs Poor Finishes in IPL 2026 Clash
RCB vs GT is a close contest with both teams having clear issues.
RCB are stronger overall. They have 4 wins in 6 matches and are near the top of the table. In batting, Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar are in form. But their main problem is death bowling. They lost their last match because they could not control the final over.
GT are coming after a heavy 99-run loss. Their top order with Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler is still strong, but the middle order is struggling. Players like Tewatia and Shahrukh are facing too many balls.
At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, batting is easier. It has short boundaries and flat pitch, meaning high scores are expected. That puts pressure on bowlers.
Simple situation. RCB depend on strong batting but weak death bowling. GT depend on top order but weak middle order. Whichever problem is handled better will decide the match.
FAQs
Q. How is Virat Kohli performing this season?
A. Virat Kohli has 247 runs in 6 innings with two fifties.
Q. How is Rashid Khan performing this season?
A. Rashid Khan is in good form with a low economy around 6.87.
Q. Who has the edge in Kohli vs Rashid battle?
A. Kohli has 108 runs against him, but Rashid has dismissed him 3 times.
Q. What are the main issues for RCB and GT?
A. RCB have strong batting but weak death bowling. Gujarat Titans rely on top order but their middle order is struggling.
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