Royal Challengers Bengaluru leg-spinner Suyash Sharma turned IPL 2026's most-imitated celebration on its head at the Chinnaswamy on April 24, copying Shubman Gill's signature 'Royal bow' send-off seconds after dismissing the Gujarat Titans captain.
Gill, who has used the gesture as his trademark this IPL season, was caught for a low score in the powerplay as RCB hunted the early breakthrough that ultimately set up a five-wicket victory. As the GT captain trudged off, Suyash dropped to one knee and delivered the same flourish back, drawing a roar from the home crowd and an immediate clip that ricocheted across social media.
It was the kind of moment IPL packaging chases all season. The Times of India described the scene as "IPL 2026 drama," while Moneycontrol framed it as Suyash "giving it back" to Gill in front of the loudest stand at Chinnaswamy. Within hours the clip had been shared by official IPL handles, ABP, Cricket Times and dozens of fan accounts, with the Bengaluru crowd's reaction looped underneath.
Gill's celebration, which he has been performing after his own milestones since the start of the tournament, has split fans and pundits. Some have read it as a confident captain finding a signature; others have called it a needless flourish from a side struggling to win consistently. Suyash's mimic, executed in the same posture and with the same hand sweep, sat somewhere between cheek and tribute.
There was a sub-plot too. Virat Kohli, who would go on to make 81 off 44 to win the game, was caught on stump mics in light banter with Gill and Gujarat coach Ashish Nehra during the innings break, with the Bhaskar English match summary noting the trio's exchange as one of the night's brighter side-stories. The Suyash celebration arrived shortly afterwards.
For Suyash, who has been used sparingly through the season, the moment doubled as a personal statement. The leg-spinner is competing for overs with senior tweakers in the RCB squad, and a viral wicket of an opposing captain in front of his home crowd is the cleanest possible audition. The clip is already circulating with the caption that fans seem to have settled on: "Royal bow, RCB version."
