A post-game exchange between Rinku Singh and Kuldeep Yadav after Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 14-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) went viral due to reasons unrelated to the quality of the clip. A short video clip started doing the rounds where Kuldeep slapped Rinku twice around the boundary edge while they engaged in banter.
Laughter greeted the first slap but the second made Rinku’s expression shift visibly—trigging disparate reactions on all social media outlets.
KKR Reacts to Social Media Furore
To put the rumors to rest, KKR immediately posted a new video on social media with both Kuldeep and Rinku. They released the video to clarify the relationship between them and eliminate rumors of any feud.
Media (𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘪) vs (𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘢) Reality!
𝘎𝘦𝘩𝘳𝘪 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪 feat. our talented UP boys 😂 pic.twitter.com/2fY749CSXf
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 30, 2025
In the release, KKR used the term “reality between friends” to describe the instant, highlighting the friendship the duo enjoys. Both Kuldeep and Rinku are from Uttar Pradesh and have been playing together in domestic leagues for a long time, and were part of the Indian team structure. The two being friends, as per the franchise, was a sign of trust and familiarity between them.
Fans Split on Interpretation
The initial video was silent, and the silence only served to increase the mystery. While some users were defending Kuldeep’s behavior as that of a protective brother, others questioned the decency of the gesture, particularly considering Rinku looked visibly upset after the second slap.
KKR’s second video, which featured both players smiling and making light of the situation, seemed to assuage the backlash. The franchise quickly responded to reassure everyone that the episode was light-hearted and had been misinterpreted.
KKR Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive
On the field, elsewhere, Kolkata Knight Riders put on a solid display at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Batting first, KKR put up an intimidating 204/9 with youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoring 44 and Rinku Singh with a vital 36 off 25 balls.
DC responded with contributions from Faf du Plessis (62) and Axar Patel (43), but KKR’s bowlers, spearheaded by Sunil Narine’s 3/29 and Varun Chakravarthy, limited them to 190/9.
The victory took KKR to nine points, keeping the playoff hopes alive for IPL 2025, while DC is still in the top four with 12 points.
