Mohammad Siraj’s Heartfelt Tribute to Kohli as RCB Faces Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 Clash

Bangalore, April 2 — As the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) gear up to face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in an exciting IPL 2025 showdown at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the camaraderie between Mohammed Siraj and Virat Kohli has captured the headlines. The former RCB teammates, who shared an unbreakable bond during their time together, are now set to clash as rivals in a high-stakes encounter.

Siraj, who was a cornerstone of RCB’s bowling attack, recently shared a heartfelt video on his Instagram, featuring the soulful track “Tera Yaar Hu Main” from the 2018 Bollywood film Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. The video, showing Siraj and Kohli sharing a warm hug during a practice session, resonated with fans, evoking memories of their time as teammates.

Kohli played a pivotal role in shaping Siraj’s career. Having been picked by RCB in 2018, Siraj made his IPL debut under Kohli’s captaincy, quickly evolving into a dependable pacer. Kohli’s mentorship during Siraj’s early struggles helped him refine his skills, enabling him to become one of the franchise’s most reliable bowlers. Under his guidance, Siraj amassed 83 wickets in 87 matches, making him RCB’s third-highest wicket-taker after Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel.

However, ahead of IPL 2025, RCB made the surprising decision to release Siraj during the mega auction and did not even bid for him or use the Right to Match (RTM) card. This move paved the way for Gujarat Titans to secure Siraj for a staggering ₹12.25 crore in a fierce bidding war.

Expressing his gratitude, Siraj penned an emotional letter to RCB supporters, thanking them for their unwavering support throughout his journey with the franchise.

As for the teams, RCB is coming into this clash as table toppers, boasting dominant wins over Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. The team’s balanced composition of strong batters, bowlers, and all-rounders has been their key to success.

Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, bounced back from a high-scoring defeat against Punjab Kings with a commanding 36-run victory over Mumbai Indians. Their top-order batsmen are in fine form, but they will be hoping for a resurgence from Rashid Khan, who has been struggling recently.

With both teams in formidable form, today’s match promises to be a thrilling contest, with Siraj’s duel against his former mentor Kohli adding an extra layer of intrigue.