Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar lauded the heartwarming tribute by followers throughout the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders, the place the followers got here collectively to honour Virat Kohli following his retirement from Check cricket. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru reworked into a wide ranging sea of white on Saturday night, as followers donned white jerseys emblazoned with the long-lasting No. 18 to pay a stirring tribute to Kohli’s legendary Check profession. The heartfelt gesture started as a humble fan marketing campaign—a easy social media put up urging Royal Challengers Bengaluru supporters to put on white Virat Kohli jerseys to the RCB vs KKR conflict, in honour of his latest retirement from Check cricket.
𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗮𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲: 𝗔 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗞𝗼𝗵𝗹𝗶’𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿
In a heartwarming tribute to Virat Kohli’s iconic Check profession, followers confirmed up not simply in numbers, however in emotion too, draped in whites – with chants and… pic.twitter.com/zF9SqHFSHO
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 18, 2025
What began as a small thought shortly changed into a robust motion, as followers united to have a good time the legacy of a participant who gave his all to the red-ball recreation.
“The love that the followers have for Virat Kohli, it is one thing particular. This was an IPL night time match, and followers got here wearing whites to commemorate a second in Indian cricket historical past. That is a phenomenal gesture. For 5 years, he made Check cricket watchable and extra common. We frequently say no participant is larger than the sport, however throughout a time when Check cricket was struggling to interact followers, Virat gave it the eye it desperately wanted,” Manjrekar stated on JioHotstar.
“He is nonetheless enjoying within the IPL, however he at all times had the need to maintain Check cricket alive. As a captain, I’ve by no means seen an Indian Check skipper who managed to maintain the depth so excessive, even when the crew wasn’t doing properly or when issues have been drifting. That is a legacy in itself,” he added.
Saturday’s match, which marked the resumption of IPL 2025 after a week-long break, was Virat Kohli’s first look since asserting his retirement from Check cricket through a social media put up.
Nonetheless, the match was deserted, with out a ball being bowled, resulting from persistent rain. Each groups have been awarded one level every, and with this RCB transfer atop the factors desk with 17 factors from 12 video games and nearer to a confirmed berth within the playoffs whereas KKR with 12 factors from 13 video games have been knocked out of Playoff competition.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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