Bengaluru: Virat Kohli disappointed his fans by announcing retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. Though he had reportedly expressed his desire to quit the game’s longest format, most cricket lovers expected him to reconsider his decision on the BCCI’s request, especially with a five-Test tour of England coming up next month.
After Kohli made his decision formal on May 12 with an Instagram post, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans came up with a unique plan to pay tribute to the Indian legend.
The IPL, which had been suspended for a week due to the India-Pakistan conflict last week, is set to resume on May 17 with a match between RCB and Kolkata Knight Riders.
And what better way to salute Kohli’s contribution to Indian cricket, as well as RCB, than the fans wearing white jerseys/T-shirts rather than the franchise jersey at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
In a passionate request, RCB fans asked everyone who would be coming to watch Saturday’s IPL match between RCB and KKR to wear ‘Test whites’.
“For the next RCB match, could you help spread the word and encourage fans to wear Test whites in the stadium as a tribute to Virat Kohli? He made so many of us fall in love with Test cricket, and even though I’ll never get to see him play in whites live, I just want him to know how deeply loved he was in his favourite format. This gesture could be a powerful way to show that his legacy goes far beyond stats – it lives in the hearts of fans.
“Please think about it and help us make it real. It would mean the world to many of us. I even made a template. I also think we can raise fund to give away the jerseys outside Chinnaswamy. That’s our best chance. Even if not jerseys, plain white t-shirts should do,” read the statement from RCB fans.
Kohli holds a special place in the hearts of Bengaluru cricket fans and RCB, a franchise he has been loyal to all through and played for since the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008.
TV commentator Harsha Bhogle was in awe of the novel initiative, and said it would be a sight to behold if the fans can pull it off.
“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,” Bhogle wrote on X.
He went on to point out the ‘only danger’ of such a scene materialising on Saturday.
“Only danger is that picking the ball in a white backdrop will become very difficult,” said Bhogle.
It will surely be an emotional day for Kohli, who is considered to be the best batter of all three formats combined.
