"The ball will hit the face while taking catches" - Aakash Chopra on fans' reported plan to pay tribute to Virat Kohli in RCB vs KKR IPL 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has urged fans not to wear whites for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2025 clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He pointed out that such a move would make it difficult for the players, especially the fielders, to sight the ball.

RCB will host KKR in Match 58 of IPL 2025 in Bengaluru on Saturday, May 17. Reports suggest that the fans might wear white jerseys to pay tribute to Kohli for his distinguished Test career.

Previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that fans should wear the No. 18 RCB jersey instead of cricket whites.

"Another thing that's been heard is that many white T-shirts are being sold. A plan like that has been made to bid farewell to Virat Kohli for the end of his Test career. I am saying do it thoughtfully because the ball will get lost in white T-shirts," Chopra said (11:10).

"Keep the tricolor in your heart, wear the RCB jersey, and get Kohli written behind it. Who will field if everyone comes wearing white? The ball will hit the face while taking catches. The ball will get lost among the spectators. So just be a little more careful," he added.

Virat Kohli bid adieu to Test cricket after scoring 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 210 innings. He has enjoyed an immensely successful IPL 2025 thus far, amassing 505 runs at an average of 63.13 in 11 innings.

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"They have 2 questions to answer" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's selection conundrums ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs KKR

RCB will miss Devdutt Padikkal's services for the remainder of IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru would have a couple of selection conundrums ahead of Saturday's game and opined that they should play Mayank Agarwal in place of Devdutt Padikkal if the right-handed batter is in their scheme of things for the playoffs.

"If I look at it from RCB's point of view, they have two questions to answer. One is - who in place of Devdutt Padikkal? You have kept Mayank Agarwal in the team. Play him this match for sure if you see him playing in the playoffs. Play him the match, get him to score runs, and come in form so that you don't have form issues when you have come close to the playoffs," he said (11:45).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that RCB could alternatively play Manoj Bhandage in the lower-middle order.

"You should try to play the team you want to field in the playoffs. The batting order that was seen wasn't bad either. Virat Kohli with Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar at No. 3, Jitesh Sharma at No. 4, Tim David at No. 5, Romario Shepherd at No. 6, and Krunal Pandya after that. Then you would have to keep Manoj Bhandage in the team. You can also make up your mind to go that way," Chopra observed.

Chopra reckoned that Rajat Patidar and company should also consider playing Nuwan Thushara ahead of Lungi Ngidi to prepare for the playoffs.

"When I look at it from the bowling perspective, Lungi Ngidi is there for now. He picked up wickets in the last match against CSK, but since he is not going to be there in the playoffs, and you don't know about Josh Hazlewood, think about Nuwan Thushara, or else, when will you play him? I think the four overseas will be Phil Salt, Tim David, Romario Shepherd and Lungi Ngidi/Nuwan Thushara," he elaborated.

Lungi Ngidi registered figures of 3/30 in four overs in RCB's previous game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru on May 3. While that was the South African seamer's first game this season, Nuwan Thushara hasn't gotten an opportunity thus far.