Fans Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Virat Kohli at IPL Match
A Unique Tribute at Chinnaswamy Stadium
Typically, the Chinnaswamy Stadium is a sea of red during IPL matches, but on May 17, the atmosphere was notably different. Thousands of supporters gathered, donning white jerseys emblazoned with "Virat 18" on the back, honoring their idol who recently made a surprising announcement.
On May 12, Virat Kohli declared his retirement from Test cricket, leaving fans yearning for more from the celebrated player, who holds Test cap number 269. In anticipation of the RCB vs KKR match, fans organized a heartfelt tribute to Kohli, especially after the IPL was paused on May 9 due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
What began as a simple suggestion quickly gained momentum, becoming a hot topic among fans. Notably, commentator Harsha Bhogle expressed on social media that if the fans succeeded in their plan, it would be a memorable sight.
Hey @RCBTweets fans, are you planning to turn up in white for the game on the 17th? Remember seeing a post suggesting that. It will be incredible and a sight for the ages if true and if you can pull it off.
β Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 15, 2025
As the day approached, fans lined up to purchase the white jerseys, which were flying off the shelves outside the stadium. In the days leading up to the match, countless jerseys were sold, with many fans expressing their desire to pay tribute to Kohli and urging him to reconsider his retirement.
Hawkers outside Chinnaswamy have stocked up the white jerseys in numbers. βKohli tribute, guru.β pic.twitter.com/emv7n2wBTq
β Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) May 16, 2025
Inside the stadium, the usual red was replaced by a sea of white as fans showed their support for Kohli, despite the heavy rain delaying the match.
#18. π₯Ήπ pic.twitter.com/8fqGfyVKVt
β Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 17, 2025
To Virat, with LOVE! π€
β Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 17, 2025
A lovely gesture by the fans in Bengaluru, donning white jerseys to pay tribute to Virat Kohli's incredible Test journey! π
Watch the LIVE action β‘ https://t.co/r4DtdEw2gv#IPLonJioStar π RCB π KKR | LIVE NOW on Star Sports-1, Star Sports-1 Hindi,β¦ pic.twitter.com/AhDrlXxBAV
As fans awaited the rain to subside, Kohli's impressive Test statistics were showcased on the big screen, eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Virat Kohli's Test career displayed at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. β€οΈ pic.twitter.com/Uw7a8N4EXU
β Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 17, 2025