Virat Kohli stops batting practice after spotting Suresh Raina, ditches fiery CSK vs RCB rivalry for a wholesome reunion

The Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 in a blockbuster clash in Chennai, and a video featuring Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina has only added to the excitement. As Kohli was immersed in his practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Raina – one of CSK’s most beloved former stars – walked up to him, leading to a warm embrace between the two.

The brief heartwarming moment between the two stalwarts of Indian cricket has been widely shared on social media, rekindling nostalgia among fans who have cherished their camaraderie over the years.

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Raina, once known as Mr. IPL for his exploits with the CSK, retired from international cricket and 2020 and made his last IPL appearance two years later; since then, he has been a regular in IPL broadcasting.

Virat Kohli, meanwhile, made yet another strong start to the season last week, when he smashed an unbeaten 59 in RCB's opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders. His innings helped the Royal Challengers to a dominant 7-wicket win.

CSK, too, made a winning start to their campaign, defeating Mumbai Indians by four wickets in Chennai. The side chased a 159-run target with five deliveries remaining, and will hope to capitalise on the momentum when they return to their home ground on Friday night.

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and opted to field RCB in their clash in Chennai; the Super Kings, looking to capitalize on home conditions, made a key change by bringing in Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana in place of Nathan Ellis, adding extra firepower to their bowling attack.

RCB, on the other hand, made a tactical switch by including experienced Indian seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in place of Rasikh Salam Dar. The side's skipper, Rajat Patidar, admitted they would have wanted to bowl first on the Chennai surface, too, but added that it wouldn't make a major difference.

“It will not make much difference, the surface looks hard, we will try to put up a total and keep them under pressure,” said Patidar.