Fan Theory Emerges After Kohli Ignores Dinesh Karthik’s Suggestion

Virat Kohli may no longer be Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captain, but the leader in him remains ever-present. During RCB’s IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli played an influential role despite not leading the side.

Stationed in the deep near the RCB dugout, Kohli frequently interacted with the coaching staff. In the 13th over, he spotted the need for a ball change, recognizing that the dry pitch would assist spinners. He passed on the insight to skipper Rajat Patidar, and Krunal Pandya promptly bowled his third over.

However, a light-hearted moment between overs stole attention. Kohli stood at long-on when head coach Andy Flower and batting coach Dinesh Karthik approached him with a suggestion. But Kohli folded his hands, gestured a polite no, and dismissed the idea. While the exact suggestion remains unknown, fans speculated that Karthik might have suggested Kohli bowl an over—an idea Kohli didn’t entertain. The visuals quickly went viral on social media.

RCB register first home win of IPL 2025

Despite the disagreement, RCB went on to defeat Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs, marking their first home victory of the season. After the match, Karthik showered praise on Kohli’s decision-making.

“There are no words. The hunger he has is remarkable,” said Karthik in the dressing room. “He’s played IPL for 18 years, but to stay this consistent takes something special. In our first three matches at Bengaluru, he told me he could have thought better. He also knows fans turn up just to see him bat.”

Karthik emphasized Kohli’s influence on his teammates, highlighting how the senior batter guided Devdutt Padikkal and Phil Salt during the innings.

“He didn’t say it outright, but he felt responsible. I’m too small a person to speak about him. He’s a champion. His commitment, his mindset—exceptional.”

Kohli inches closer to third Orange Cap

Kohli has already scored 392 runs, including five half-centuries. He trails Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan, who leads with 417 runs. With consistent scores of 59*, 31, 7, 67, 22, 62*, 1, 73*, and 70, Kohli looks set for another strong season. Having previously won the Orange Cap in 2016 and 2024, he could become only the second batter after David Warner to claim it a third time.

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