RCB legend Virat Kohli was the only player to be given a special ‘IPL 18’ memento by BCCI president Roger Binny at the IPL 2025 opening ceremony. Kohli, who has been with RCB from the beginning, is IPL’s highest run-scorer with 8,004 runs in 252 games, including eight centuries and 55 half-centuries.
Despite his staggering achievements, including an unforgettable 2016 season where he amassed 973 runs with four centuries, an IPL trophy has eluded him. The season opener also marked Kohli’s 400th appearance in the T20 format, adding another historic moment to his career.
Kohli & SRK Light Up the Stage
Prior to the felicitation, Kohli made fans go crazy by dancing with Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan to the popular track Jhoome Jo Pathaan. SRK welcomed him with gusto, exclaiming, “The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let’s hear the loudest for one and only, the GOAT, Virat Kohli.”
KKR’s destructive batsman Rinku Singh also took part in the celebration, dancing to Lutt Putt Gaya with Shah Rukh. After presenting the memento, RCB and KKR captains were requested on stage.
RCB vs KKR: The Season Opener
RCB’s new captain Rajat Patidar showed enthusiasm to captain the team and said, “It’s been an amazing feeling to lead RCB; I love this ground and especially the fans. This is my dream. The boys are energetic and feeling confident this year.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane expressed his emotions, “It is nice to be back at Eden Gardens, it is nice to practice on your patience, and day by day I am practicing it.”
RCB Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.
Impact Subs: Devdutt Padikkal, Abhinandan Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh.
KKR Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (w), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Impact Subs: Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia.
