Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin could not stop himself from reacting to Virat Kohli’s animated celebrations during IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, where defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru crushed Gujarat Titans by 92 runs to book their place in the final. RCB produced a complete performance in Dharamsala, piling up a massive 254/5 before bowling GT out for just 162 in 19.3 overs. While skipper Rajat Patidar stole the headlines with a breathtaking unbeaten 93 off 33 balls, Ashwin was equally fascinated by Kohli’s unmatched intensity on the field. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin hilariously pointed out how passionately Kohli celebrated every wicket during Gujarat’s dramatic top-order collapse. “Did you see Virat’s celebrations when the first four wickets fell? Pehle 4 wicket usne hi liya hai [It seemed like he had taken those four wickets]. From where do you get this kind of intensity? Har jo wicket hai, tera wicket jaisa kaise celebrate kar raha hai yaar? (How can you celebrate every wicket like it’s your wicket?) I enjoyed it a lot.” Ashwin further said Kohli’s energy levels were beyond normal, adding: “Woh insaan nahi hai [He is not human]. He is something else. He has come from some other planet. I don’t know where he has come from; he is not human.” Kohli had earlier given RCB a flying start with a quickfire 43 off 25 balls after the Bengaluru side were asked to bat first. He stitched together a 72-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal before GT briefly fought back through Jason Holder, who dismissed both set batters in the span of three deliveries. However, Patidar and Krunal Pandya completely shifted the momentum with a brutal counterattack. The duo added 95 runs in just 47 balls as Gujarat’s sloppy fielding and dropped chances hurt them badly under pressure. Ashwin also reserved special praise for Krunal, who once again delivered in a crunch knockout game with a valuable 43 off 28 balls after RCB had briefly lost momentum. In typical Ashwin fashion, the veteran spinner joked: “Don’t call 108 in case of an emergency; call Krunal Pandya.” RCB’s bowlers then ensured there would be no comeback from Gujarat. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam ripped through GT’s batting lineup, reducing them to 51/5 inside the powerplay. GT skipper Shubman Gill admitted after the game that his side fell apart under pressure, especially in the field, while impact substitute Rahul Tewatia’s fighting 68 only reduced the margin of defeat. With the emphatic win, RCB moved one step away from defending their IPL crown and will now head to the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on May 31.
