Kohli’s Hand Gesture Sparks Buzz, Karthik Praises ‘Absolute Champion’

A moment captured on camera during the recent RCB vs. Rajasthan Royals match has fans buzzing. As Virat Kohli fielded at long-on, RCB coaches Dinesh Karthik and Andy Flower seemed to offer him some advice. Kohli, however, responded by folding his hands, seemingly rejecting the suggestion.

While the exact conversation remains a mystery, Karthik later showered Kohli with praise after RCB pulled off a thrilling 11-run victory. Kohli had smashed a brilliant 70 runs earlier in the match.

Karthik was particularly impressed by Kohli’s unwavering hunger and consistency over his long IPL career. He shared, ‘There is a loss for words. Purely the hunger that he has. It’s one thing to play in the IPL for 18 years, But it’s a different thing to be consistent for that long. This tells you a lot about the man. And he’s very determined.’

Karthik revealed that Kohli had expressed a desire to perform even better and acknowledged the weight of expectation from fans. He added, ‘Even though he did not say it explicitly, he felt that. And if that man puts his mind to something, the way he adapts, understands situations, I am too small a person to even speak about him. He is an absolute champion.’

Kohli’s partnership with Devdutt Padikkal (50 runs off 27 balls) was instrumental in RCB posting a competitive total of 205. Josh Hazlewood’s brilliant penultimate over, which saw him take two wickets, ultimately sealed the deal for RCB. This win marked their first home victory of the season, propelling them to third place in the IPL 2025 standings.