Virat Kohli, the batting maestro of Royal Challengers Bangalore, was left stunned on Thursday night when Lucknow Super Giants pacer Prince Yadav bowled him for a two-ball duck at the Ekana Stadium. It was a rare sight for cricket fans—Kohli's first IPL duck in 1,110 days and only the 11th of his legendary T20 career in the tournament.

The delivery itself quickly became one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026. Prince unleashed a sharp 140.4 kmph ball that jagged back viciously through Kohli's defence before crashing into the off-stump. Kohli stood frozen in disbelief as the young pacer erupted in celebration. Some fans and experts have already hailed it as the "ball of the tournament."

For a batter who has dominated the IPL for nearly two decades and amassed over 9,000 runs, dismissing Kohli for a duck remains one of the rarest feats in franchise cricket. The last time he was dismissed for nought came in April 2023, when Rajasthan Royals' Trent Boult trapped him lbw off the very first ball.

Since his IPL debut in 2008, Kohli has played 277 matches, scoring 9,040 runs at an average of 39.82 and a strike rate of 133.92—including eight centuries and 66 half-centuries. Out of his 269 innings, he has been dismissed for a duck only 11 times, a mere 4.09 percent.

What makes this record even more remarkable is the distribution of those ducks. Six of the 11 came in just two difficult seasons—2014 and 2022—when Kohli was dismissed for nought three times each. That leaves only five ducks spread across the remaining 17 IPL seasons: against Mumbai Indians in 2008, Gujarat Lions in 2016, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017, Rajasthan Royals in 2023, and now Lucknow Super Giants in 2026.

Interestingly, the seasons where Kohli suffered multiple ducks also coincided with noticeable dips in his overall performance. In 2014, for example, he registered ducks against Mumbai Indians and other opponents, reflecting a challenging period. This pattern underscores how even the greatest players can face rare setbacks, but Kohli's ability to bounce back has defined his legendary career.

For cricket fans and sports enthusiasts, this moment serves as a reminder of the unpredictable beauty of the game—and why every Kohli innings, no matter how brief, remains a must-watch event.