Virat Kohli vs Jasprit Bumrah: IPL's Clash of Titans
What's the story
The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) will be underway on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians will begin their campaign a day later against Kolkata Knight Riders. And the high-profile clash between MI and RCB will be held on April 12. The blockbuster Sunday will witness the high-octane clash between titans Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Kohli is among the greatest batters across formats of all time. So is Bumrah on the all-time bowlers list. Like every season, the 'Best vs Best' battle will take center stage in IPL 2026. Kohli, the league's highest run-scorer, has scored 600-plus runs in each of the last three seasons. And Bumrah is at the peak of his powers, making this battle spicier.
Battle
Kohli vs Bumrah: Stats
According to ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah has dismissed Kohli five times across 17 IPL innings. However, the veteran batter has a strike rate of 148.51 in this battle. Hitting a six against a prime Bumrah is no mean feat, and Kohli has struck six of them in his IPL career. His tally also includes 15 fours. Bumrah has bowled 37 dot balls to Kohli.
Information
Powerplay battle
Kohli's IPL strike rate against Bumrah in the Powerplay (first six overs) shoots to 167.5 (67 runs off 40 balls). The latter has removed Kohli twice across 11 innings in this regard.
CareerÂ
Career numbers of Kohli, Bumrah
Both the numbers and impact of Kohli and Bumrah have been phenomenal in the IPL. The RCB batter remains the only player with over 8,000 runs (8,661) in the tournament. He averages nearly 40 and has 8 tons to his name. Meanwhile, Bumrah has 183 IPL wickets from 145 matches, all for MI, with an impressive strike rate of 18.23.