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The IPL 2025 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Jaipur wasn’t just about cricketing brilliance—it was also a reminder of the spirit of the game, thanks to Rahul Dravid.
After the match ended, Dravid, who is currently on crutches, made his way onto the field to join the customary post-match handshakes.
A Gentleman’s Refusal
Seeing Dravid struggle, Virat Kohli urged him to stay back and let the players come to him instead.
Virat Kohli asking injured Rahul Dravid bhai not to walk, saying the players will come to him. A small act, but it speaks volumes. Respect, care, and class.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueThis is what makes him truly special. ❤️…#ViratKohli𓃵 #RRvRCB #RCBvsRR #IPL2025 #Cricketpic.twitter.com/5T5RxFjzER
— 🇮🇳🏏 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝑶𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌’𝒔 (@Stroke0GeniusSP) April 14, 2025
But Dravid politely declined.
“He told me not to walk but I had to. It’s part of the game,” Dravid said, displaying the humility and commitment that has long defined him.
Virat Kohli asking Rahul Dravid not to walk as he was going for the shake hands after the Match today. 🥹
– KING KOHLI, WHAT A GEM OF A PERSON.🐐❤️ pic.twitter.com/M0t9LWoCa6
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) April 13, 2025
A few RCB players eventually approached the coach to complete the handshake. The simple yet touching gesture quickly caught attention online, with fans lauding Dravid for his class and sportsmanship.
RCB’s Clinical Chase Led by Salt and Kohli
The emotional post-match moment followed a dominant performance by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who cruised to a nine-wicket win.
Phil Salt provided a cracking start, hammering a 33-ball 65. His innings featured six towering sixes and five boundaries, putting RR’s bowlers on the back foot from the get-go.
Virat Kohli, meanwhile, anchored the chase masterfully with an unbeaten 62 off 45 balls, marking his 100th T20 half-century.
Together, the duo powered RCB to 174 in just 17.3 overs, marking their fourth win of the season—all on away soil.
Salt wasted no time, lofting Jofra Archer for a six in the first over and narrowly escaping an LBW shout. He raced to fifty in 28 balls and had some luck on his side—being dropped twice, once by Sandeep Sharma and once by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Those errors proved costly.
Kohli, on the other hand, started slow but composed himself after a dropped catch by Riyan Parag. He focused on rotating strike and picked his moments for boundaries, eventually sealing the game with ease.
Jaiswal Fights Lone Battle in Rajasthan’s Innings
Earlier, Rajasthan’s innings was steadied by a composed knock from 23-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal.
He scored 75 off 47 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes, adapting well to a sluggish Sawai Mansingh surface.
After weathering tight spells from RCB’s pace trio—Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal—Jaiswal opened up in the fifth over with a flurry of boundaries.
He brought up his second fifty of the season in 35 balls and built a 56-run stand with Riyan Parag, who contributed 30 from 18.
Parag showed promise but couldn’t convert, falling to a clever slower ball from Dayal.
Sanju Samson’s innings never quite took off. He scratched his way to 13 from 16 balls before being stumped by Krunal Pandya.
Jaiswal kept fighting with some cheeky strokes, including a scoop for six off Hazlewood, but was finally dismissed LBW trying to sweep the same bowler.
Dhruv Jurel provided a late spark with a 35* off 23, though he consumed too many dots early on to lift the total meaningfully.
In the end, Rajasthan’s 173/4 was never going to be enough against an RCB side that executed their chase to perfection—and shared a moment of true sportsmanship to cap it all off.
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