Ravi Bishnoi's IPL 2026 surge shows no signs of slowing down. The Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner delivered another decisive spell, taking 2/32 to strenghten his grip on the 'Purple Cap', in the ongoing clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.
Headlining his impressive effort was the dismissal of an in-form Virat Kohli, whom he outfoxed with a clever googly, that beat RCB talisman's swinging blade to crash into the stumps.
The moment came just as Kohli began to settle. The RCB opener had raced to 32 off just 15 balls in an innings filled with some trademark strokes finding the boundary seven times.
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RR captain Riyan Parag turned to Bishnoi in the fifth over looking to put the brakes on Kohli before he took the game away. Bishnoi delivered with the penultimate delivery, slipping in a cleverly disguised googly that beat Kohli's attempted hoick to rattle the stumps.
The magic delivery cut short what looked like a potentially match-defining innings from Kohli. Bishnoi followed it up soon after with the wicket of Krunal Pandya, who miscued an attempted big hit against Bishnoi's deceptive pace in the 7th over, leaving RCB struggling at 62/4. They eventually ended with a very good total of 201/8 in 20 overs.
Once again, Bishnoi proved to be the disruptor through the middle overs, a role he has consistently filled this season. The leg-spinner conceded just 16 runs from his first three overs before RCB captain Rajat Patidar (63) counterattacked, striking back-to-back sixes in his final over, which went for 16 runs.
The 25-year-old entered the contest with seven wickets in just three matches, and this spell only strengthened his hold at the top of the wicket-taking charts, giving him a three-wicket buffer over second-placed Prasidh Krishna (six wickets).
His impact this season marks a sharp turnaround from a relatively quiet 2025 campaign with Lucknow Super Giants.
Now back with Rajasthan Royals, Bishnoi appears revitalised. His return to the franchise, secured for Rs 7.20 crore after LSG released him, has turned into one of the most effective auction moves of IPL 2026.
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The homecoming narrative runs deeper, Bishnoi was once a net bowler for RR in 2018 before rising through the ranks following his U19 World Cup exploits.
Earlier this season, he also registered a landmark performance against Gujarat Titans, taking 4/41. In the same innings, Bishnoi also crossed 200 T20 wickets, becoming the youngest Indian to reach the milestone at just 25.
Having built his reputation across stints with Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, Bishnoi has now evolved into a frontline strike option rather than a containing leg-spinner.
On current evidence, this is shaping up as his most complete IPL season yet, one where control, variation, and timing of breakthroughs are aligning to decisive effect.
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