Two extremes of emotion as rain drenches hopes at Chinnaswamy

Heavy rain, as predicted, lashed the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the heart of the city on Saturday, but that didn’t deter Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans from turning up in large numbers—mostly to show their unending love for their favourite superstar, Virat Kohli.

Once again, they proved why RCB’s fan base is often labelled the ‘most loyal’ in the IPL, as they braved the relentless rain, waiting both inside and outside the stadium until 10:30 pm, when the match was finally called off.

Such was the scene that fans held chairs above their heads outside the stadium to shield themselves from the rain. Several took shelter at bus stops and the Cubbon Park Metro station. The same fans walked out with grim faces after the match was called off without a single ball being bowled.

Soon after Kohli announced his decision to retire from Test cricket with immediate effect on May 12, an online campaign urged fans to turn up in white—instead of the usual red and blue RCB jerseys—for the clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

Hawkers make a killing

Earlier on Saturday, hawkers on MG Road and Church Street began selling Kohli’s Test jersey—starting from Wednesday itself—and it sold like hotcakes, outperforming the regular IPL merchandise. The white jerseys with Kohli’s name on the back were priced between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500.

Radhika Kotresh, a resident of West Bengaluru, said she wanted to witness how Kohli would play after stepping away from his favourite format of the game. Commenting on the downpour, she added, “Just like all other fans, I was praying for the rain to stay away. It’s like even the rain gods want to pay tribute to Virat’s Test retirement.”

An Instagram user, @siliconcity.bengaluru, posted a video showing a flock of white birds hovering above the stadium, captioned: “Even nature’s turned up in white, paying tribute to King Kohli.”

Tight police security

The police had made elaborate security arrangements, deploying more than 1,000 officers around the stadium. They remained extra vigilant as the IPL resumed after a 10-day break due to tensions between India and Pakistan.

Despite heavy cloud cover, fans began gathering in the central business district by 4:30 pm to beat the rain. The downpour started around 6 pm, but fans pushed on, many donning raincoats and carrying umbrellas. The rain continued intensely for nearly an hour and a half. When it reduced to a drizzle around 8 pm and the umpires came out for an inspection, the crowd erupted into chants of “RCB! RCB!”

The drizzle never stopped. But neither did the fans’ patience.

Police detain two fans

Cubbon Park police detained two individuals—Sharanabasappa and Balaji V—for allegedly pledging in an Instagram video to invade the pitch and hug Virat Kohli. The duo has been booked under BNS Section 126 (wrongful restraint).

Bengaluru City Police took to Instagram to post a video of the suspects in custody, apologising for their actions. The caption read: “Bold move, champ! But storming past security during IPL? That’s no powerplay—it’s a straight drive into our police van! Our khaki-clad fielders don’t miss catches off the field either.”