The on-ground incident between Punjab Kings’ spin bowler, Harpreet Brar and Virat Kohli during IPL 2025 has been talked about since it happened and various social media platforms were filled with the pictures and videos of the incident.
The incident happened during the match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Mullanpur. But Brar has clarified that the incident was not an altercation but light-hearted cricket banter between the two players.
What Happened Between Harpreet Brar and Virat Kohli?
This incident occurred when RCB chased down Punjab Kings total in a day game of IPL 2025 successfully. When Virat Kohli and Harpreet Brar were present on the pitch, there seemed to be a heated argument between them as they spoke to each other in Punjabi.
As per Brar, this conversation was related to the strategy used by Punjab Kings to roughen the ball using one-bounce throws for reverse swing. It was seen that Kohli understood this strategy and, with a joke, reminded Brar that he has been a part of this game since 20 years.
“I have been playing for 20 years,” Kohli told Brar during the game.
Brar later explained that there was no negative intent behind the exchange.
Why Punjab Kings Were Using One-Bounce Throws
Talking about it on the Punjab Kings podcast with Harleen Deol, Brar explained the strategy behind the Punjab’s fielding.
Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer had directed his players to throw the ball at least once to make some marks on the ball that can help the fast bowlers to use reverse swing in the last over.
According to Brar, executing this strategy on field, he threw the ball towards Marcus Stoinis once, which was missunderstood by Kohli, and this turned into a conversation which seemed like an altercation. However, Brar clarified that it was not his intention to sledge Kohli.
Harpreet Brar Recalls Special Virat Kohli Wicket
Dismissing Virat Kohli continues to be considered one of the highlights of Harpreet Brar’s IPL career. In IPL 2021, Brar got rid of Kohli, besides AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, and bowled one of his greatest spells which even got him named Player of the Match.
Speaking about the dismissal, Brar referred to the achievement as on of his greatest achievement, He also admitted that he feels lucky and blessed to play against the world’s best batters of ICC and perform well too.
RCB vs PBKS Match Recap: Kohli Leads Bengaluru to Victory
RCB successfully chased down the 158 run target set by Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 match. Devdutt Padikkal scored aggressively scoring 61 runs whereas Virat Kohli scored a not out score of 73 runs guiding the team to win with seven balls left.
Despite Harpreet Brar being economical with the ball and dismissing Padikkal, Punjab Kings could not defend their target runs.
Harpreet Brar and Virat Kohli Banter Continues in IPL 2026
However, the rivalry that existed between Brar and Kohli did not end with the tournament in 2026. In a game in Dharamsala, Kohli made a funny offer to Brar to try out a run-out when he was outside the crease.
Harpreet Brar’s Impact in IPL
Through time, Harpreet Brar has built up a reputation as a reliable bowler for Punjab Kings, particularly when playing against RCB.
He bowls during the middle overs and takes key wickets of the crucial batters from the opponent team. In simple word, Brar has performed and delivered always when playing against RCB in IPL for Punjab Kings.
ALSO READ: GT vs CSK, IPL 2026: Gujarat Titans Crush Chennai Super Kings To Seal Top-Two Finish
