RCB to Felicitate Virat Kohli on May 17 at Chinnaswamy for His Legendary Test Career

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans are gearing up for an emotional tribute to Virat Kohli, urging everyone attending the team’s next IPL clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to show up in Test whites. The fan movement, which started gaining traction on social media after Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket, is quickly turning into something special.

Fans are being asked to wear India’s Test jersey or just plain white T-shirts when RCB takes on Kolkata Knight Riders on May 17 in Bengaluru. The goal is to create a “white ocean” in the stands, a visual salute to Kohli’s deep love for red-ball cricket — something that statistics and accolades alone can't quite capture. Several RCB fan pages have been sharing the plan online, calling on Bengaluru’s cricket faithful to ditch the usual sea of red for one game and turn Chinnaswamy into a rare field of white. Many fans are even planning to wear India’s official Test jersey to mark the occasion. 

Kohli, who debuted in Tests back in 2011 during India’s tour of the West Indies, wrapped up a glittering career in the longest format after the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In 123 Tests, he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 — stats that place him among the best ever in Indian cricket. While his form had dipped over the last couple of years, prompting some to speculate that it influenced his decision, Kohli’s stature in the game remains untouched. At 36, he’s still committed to playing white-ball cricket and is reportedly eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. But for many fans, it’s his Test legacy that deserves one last grand acknowledgment. 

“This is the least we can do,” wrote one fan. “I’ll be very disappointed if this doesn’t happen.” Meanwhile, another fan added, “Come on guys… we should be able to spread this.” There’s even talk of fans pooling funds to distribute white T-shirts outside the stadium before the match, with one supporter insisting, “Even plain white T-shirts will do — we just want to make this happen.” 

If this tribute comes together as planned, it could be one of the most memorable send-offs cricket has seen — not in a packed Test match, but in an IPL game transformed by fans into a heartfelt moment for a player who gave his all for the whites. 

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