It was a dream moment for Vipraj Nigam to dismiss Virat Kohli, and he turned that dream into reality the very first time he faced Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League. During the IPL 2025 clash between Delhi Capitals and RCB at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 10, Vipraj removed Kohli off the final ball of his second over — a moment he later described as surreal.
As Delhi Capitals prepare to take on RCB once again at the same venue on April 18 in IPL 2026, the spotlight will once again be on the young spin-bowling all-rounder.
The 21-year-old from Uttar Pradesh made an immediate impact in his debut IPL season, playing a key role in DC’s impressive 2025 campaign. He now has his sights set on repeating that feat
in 2026 by dismissing Virat Kohli once again.
However, Vipraj is fully aware of the challenge that lies ahead, especially given the rich vein of form Kohli is currently enjoying.
Speaking in the JioStar Press Room ahead of the IPL 2026 Rivalry Week clash between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday (April 18), Vipraj emphasized the importance of discipline while bowling to a batter of Kohli’s calibre.
He pointed out that the margin for error against a player of Kohli’s quality is extremely slim, making it crucial to stick to pre-set plans. Keeping his approach simple, the youngster is hopeful of recreating last year’s (2025) success.
“Against a world-class player like Virat Kohli, your margin for error becomes very small. You know that even the slightest mistake can cost you runs. Even on good deliveries, runs can still be scored. So our plan is very simple — whatever strategy we have and whatever planning we’ve done, we just need to stick to that. And the aim is to repeat what happened last year (in 2025),” Vipraj Nigam told News18 CricketNext.
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In his debut IPL season (in 2025), Vipraj not only dismissed Kohli but also accounted for Rohit Sharma during a Delhi Capitals’ clash against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (on April 13), underlining his ability to deliver against top-quality opposition.
So far in IPL 2026, he has featured in three matches for the Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals side, picking up one wicket, and will be keen to make a bigger impact in the matches ahead.
Catch IPL 2026’s Rivalry Week from April 12 to 18, live and exclusive on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.
