As IPL 2025 resumes on May 17, an emotional wave is set to sweep through the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans are preparing a touching tribute for their talisman, Virat Kohli, who recently bid farewell to Test cricket after a storied 13-year career. In a heartfelt gesture, a section of the RCB faithful is urging fellow supporters to wear all-white outfits or Test jerseys during the side’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders — a symbolic salute to Kohli’s monumental red-ball legacy.
The fan-driven campaign, gaining momentum across social media platforms, is more than just a sartorial suggestion; it’s a movement to honour a cricketer who redefined Indian Test cricket for a generation. If successful, the sea of white at a T20 match could become one of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket fandom, blending the passion of IPL with the reverence for the longest format.
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Kohli, who retired with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests at an average of 46.85 — including 30 centuries and a record seven double tons for India — leaves behind not just numbers, but an era. As a captain, he led India to 40 wins in 68 matches, the most by any Indian Test skipper. His aggression, fitness, and unrelenting pursuit of excellence made him a global ambassador for the format.
A tribute to the one who brought Test cricket to life in this generation. Wear a white Test jersey at the next RCB game at Chinnaswamy.
Please spread the word as much as you can. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/7GTMrdW77t
— Yashvi (@BreatheKohli) May 13, 2025
A stadium full of people in white during an IPL game seems like a tough thing to pull off. But if it happens, it would be the most heart-touching public tribute to Kohli
If anyone can pull this it’s Bengaluru. I’m counting on RCB and fans for this. #ViratKohli𓃵
— Yashvi (@BreatheKohli) May 13, 2025
“A tribute to the one who made Test cricket exciting again,” reads one viral fan post. “Let’s wear whites for Virat.”
His retirement comes just days after Rohit Sharma also stepped away from Tests, marking the close of a golden chapter. Yet even as the red-ball journey ends, Kohli remains dominant in IPL 2025. With 505 runs in 11 matches at an average of 63.13 and a strike rate of 143.47, he is just five runs behind Orange Cap leader Suryakumar Yadav.
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But on Saturday, it won’t just be about runs. For fans at Chinnaswamy, it will be about memories, Test whites, and saying thank you to a legend who made the longest format feel timeless.
