Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has responded warmly to a heartfelt initiative by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans, who are planning a unique tribute for Virat Kohli ahead of their IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 17 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Following Kohli’s surprise announcement on May 12 that he would retire from Test cricket ahead of the upcoming England tour, fans have been eager to honour the legendary batter’s contribution to the longest format of the game.
In a fan-led movement, RCB supporters are calling on the crowd to turn up in white jerseys or t-shirts reminiscent of Test whites as a symbolic gesture of appreciation for Kohli’s immense legacy in red-ball cricket.
Harsha Bhogle, known for his deep insights into the game and appreciation for its emotional moments, took to X (formerly Twitter) to lend his support to the idea.
He wrote, "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 posted.
However, the veteran broadcaster also pointed out a potential logistical concern from a cricketing perspective. He added, "Only danger is that picking the ball in a white backdrop will become very difficult," he noted.
Virat Kohli's test career and records
The 36-year-old cricketer enjoyed a remarkable career in Test cricket, having made his debut against the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2011. Over the span of 14 years, Virat Kohli reached numerous milestones, most notably as India's most successful Test captain, securing 40 wins in 68 matches.
Among his many achievements, the standout moment was leading India to a historic 2-1 series victory in Australia during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy—their first-ever series win on Australian soil. Under his leadership, India also held the ICC Test mace for five consecutive years, establishing themselves as the world’s top-ranked Test team. The Delhi-born batter concludes his Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries.
