IPL 2026: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan bring classical methods To high-stakes Qualifier 1

DHARAMSHALA: Beneath the snow-capped peaks of the Dhauladhar range, the scenic HPCA Stadium is bracing itself for a classic contest for the purists as Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the IPL on Tuesday. Amid the power-oriented batting mayhem of the IPL, perfectionists like Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have shown that class, timing and aggression can not only coexist but thrive in a high-intensity tournament.


The trio may appear conventional in approach but have risen to the demands of the ultra-aggressive T20 format and adapted to its ever-growing needs. The Titans’ opening combination of Sudharsan and Gill has produced the tournament’s two leading run-getters, while veteran Kohli is not far behind. He leads the run charts for RCB and is ninth overall in the list of scorers.







At 37, Kohli has positioned himself as the foundation of RCB’s batting. Though his opening partners have kept changing, it hasn’t deterred the former India captain. He has scored 557 runs from 14 games at a strike rate of 163.82 and an average of 50.63 this season, including a century against Kolkata Knight Riders. He has added more intent to his game and has dominated match-ups in the Powerplay.


However, Kohli will be challenged on a track that may offer early movement by Titans’ new-ball duo of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, who have forged a potent combination.


On the other hand, Gill and Sudharsan have transformed themselves into one of the most successful opening pairs in IPL history and have equalled the record for most century stands for the first wicket. Despite struggling for form in T20 Internationals, Gill has been consistency personified in the IPL. The 26-year-old has expanded his scoring areas and looked more adept at shifting gears. The runs have flowed from his bat: 616 from 13 matches at an average of 47.38 and an impressive strike-rate of 161.67.


Sudharsan may not yet be in the same league as Kohli and Gill in stature, but he has outscored his senior pros this season and is the tournament’s leading run-getter with 638 runs from 14 games at 49.08.


Without compromising on his technique, the southpaw has scored at a fair clip and boasts a strike-rate of 157.92. However, the dynamic duo will run into RCB’s pace pairing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood and will have their task cut out.
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