Following Virat Kohli‘s Test retirement, a large crowd of people wearing white “Virat 18” jerseys flocked to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to see the RCB-KKR match in remembrance of his Test career. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar expressed gratitude for the gesture.
Ultimately, it turned out to be a wet squib because the match never started because of the relentless rain in Bengaluru. However, there was a noticeable change in the atmosphere and look of the stadium, which is typically painted in red and gold throughout this season.
“The devotion that Virat Kohli’s supporters have for him is unique. To celebrate a milestone in Indian cricket history, spectators wore white to this IPL night match.
“It’s a lovely gesture,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on JioHotstar.
He increased popularity and made Test cricket watchable for five years. Although it’s sometimes said that no player is more important than the game, Virat gave Test cricket the much-needed attention it needed when it was having trouble attracting viewers.
He still participates in the IPL, but he has always wanted to preserve Test cricket. As a captain, I have never witnessed an Indian Test captain maintain such a high level of energy even when the team was struggling or things were going awry. That in and of itself is a legacy.
Former India cricket player and Manjrekar panellist Sanjay Bangar discussed Kohli’s decision to retire from Test cricket and acknowledged that the sudden news surprised him.
For me personally, it was a depressing day. He was enormous for his time. There were still a few good years of Test cricket left in him, I tried to tell him. But his decision was set. He was certain of the moment, and once he decided, there was no turning back. That is something we have to honour. Although it’s not always appreciated in our nation to let go, Virat made the right decision. As is frequently the case with great athletes, he retired while many were still asking, “Why now?”
After an unprecedented ten-day suspension due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, the IPL has resumed, and the Kolkata Knight Riders have been eliminated from the season without even playing a ball. Regarding RCB, they are still strong candidates to place in the top two in addition to qualifying.
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