NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s first foray against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday drew an unusually emotional reaction from the RCB icon, with his animated fist-pumping celebration quickly becoming one of the most talked-about moments of the match in Raipur.After taking a back-and-forth in his previous two innings, Kohli looked visibly relieved when he finally got off the mark during the IPL 2026 event, drawing huge cheers from the crowd.The moment came in the first over of RCB’s chase of 193 when Kohli worked a swinging delivery from debutant Saurabh Dubey to square leg for a quick single. Once he crossed, the veteran punched the air in celebration and the fans roared in agreement.The reaction was startling because it came from a single run, but the context made it that much bigger. Kohli entered the match without scoring in his last two matches, his first run in three matches.This brief release of emotion immediately spread across social media. A short clip from the celebration has already gone viral.Watch – Fist pump celebration after Kohli’s first run:
A milestone night for Kohli
The night also brought another major milestone for the former RCB skipper. By taking the field, Kohli became the most capped player in IPL history, overtaking MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.The game was his 279th appearance in the league and moved him clear of the top spot on the all-time list. Dhoni and Rohit remain tied on 278.The milestone made the occasion momentous, but it was his first single—not the record—that generated the loudest response.Earlier, KKR scored 192/4 after a brilliant 71 from Angkrish Raghuvanshi. He added key stands with Cameron Green and Rinku Singh to strengthen Kolkata into a competitive unit.
