BCCI official reacts after Virat Kohli fan jumps tall Eden Gardens barricade to meet RCB star during KKR's IPL opener

Former IPL president Rajiv Shukla reacted to an incident at the Eden Gardens during the opening match of IPL 2025.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru romped home to a 7-wicket victory over KKR in the opening game of the IPL 2025 season, completing the chase with 22 deliveries to spare in a dominant performance as a new era dawns. Nevertheless, it was an old hero who was central to the victory, as Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 59* in a fluent innings that showed he has picked up from where he left off last season.

Virat Kohli embraces a fan who ran onto the pitch at the Eden Gardens in the KKR vs RCB match. (AFP)

The first match was a celebration of the IPL, including the opening ceremony in which Kohli was invited on stage to dance along with Shah Rukh Khan, bringing together two of the biggest celebrities in the country. Kohli’s stature within India as a whole was further put into picture, as partway through the chase, a pitch invader ran onto the Eden Gardens field and fell at the feet of the Indian great.

While there was plenty of concern regarding player safety and how a fan was allowed to run onto the pitch, it did serve as a indication of how bright Virat Kohli’s star shines right across the country. This was noticed by former IPL president Rajiv Shukla, who posted on his X account in appreciation of the love shown to Kohli.

“Amazing fan following of @imVkohli,” wrote Shukla, responding to a video which captured the incident from the stands.

In the video, a fan can be seen sprinting onto the field of play, and reaching Kohli on the pitch before stewards could intercept him. The fan touched Kohli’s feet before falling at his feet, going to show the stature of Kohli within Indian cricket.

Despite the moment, Kohli went on to share a hug with the fan before he was taken away.

Kohli's 59* guides RCB to opening win vs defending champs

In the match, Kohli played a crucial role in the chase as RCB hauled down the target of 175 in double-quick time. While Phil Salt did the brunt of the early damage, Kohli also played a part. This included a pair of identical sixes right down the ground on successive deliveries against left-armer Spencer Johnson.

RCB got on the board early with a win, which was received with great joy by the faithful. Krunal Pandya was adjudged player of the match for his figures of 3-29.