Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were too hot to handle during the IPL 2025 opener against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), storming to a seven-wicket win at the Eden Gardens. Virat Kohli was ever present at the top of the order, and his new opening partner Phil Salt also delivered a memorable performance on his RCB debut, that too against his former side. However, Kohli and Salt await their biggest test so far this season as RCB take on Southern rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday.
The RCB players will be fresh after enjoying a six day break, having last played on the opening day of IPL 2025. The team arrived in Chennai earlier this week and the players have been sweating it out in the nets ahead of the match.
On Wednesday, RCB posted a video on social media of Kohli signing autographs and clicking selfies with the fans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Even though most of the fans had donned a CSK jersey, Kohli gracefully obliged to their requests. At the end of the video, a CSK fan even wished Kohli best of luck for the game on Friday.
Now that’s a night to remember for these cricket fans at Chepauk!
The warmth before the storm.
This is @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold Diaries. #PlayBold RCB #CSKvRCB pic.twitter.com/yiVsfXqSM7
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 26, 2025
Recently, Punjab Kings all-rounder Marcus Stoinis said he remains in touch with Kohli and has enjoyed tracking his remarkable career. Stoinis’ connection with Kohli goes back to their U-19 days when the latter led his team to the World Cup title in 2008.
Stoinis said he remains in touch with the Indian superstar and has enjoyed tracking his remarkable career.
“We’ve known each other for a long time. We’ve got a mutual friend in Perth that has known him for a long time as well. So that’s sort of how that relationship started.
“But yeah, what a great career it’s been so far. It’s definitely not finished. It seems like he’s worn a few caps throughout his career in terms of being the young guy coming into an Indian team that forced his way in there at such a young age and showed such confidence in himself to crack into such a good team to then leading the team and almost changing the whole culture of Indian cricket and inspiring a lot of the young cricketers around India and around the world.
“And then a whole new phase of the fitness side of things as well that he inspired in the Indian set-up to now mentoring the new kids on the block. And he’s got his family now as well.
“I think all of those phases have served a purpose, not only for himself, but as a mentor for the wider public and the cricket community. So always hats off to him, to be honest,” added Stoinis.
(With PTI Inputs)
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