Why did Virat Kohli ask Sanju Samson to check his heartbeat?

JAIPUR: In a surprising moment during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) chase against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Virat Kohli was heard asking Sanju Samson to check his heartbeat after completing a tough run in the 15th over.

The incident occurred when Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 62, sprinted for two runs off Wanindu Hasaranga’s delivery.

Exhausted by the Jaipur heat, the star batter turned to RR skipper Samson and said in Hindi, "Heartbeat check karna" (Check my heartbeat).

Samson, who was wicketkeeping, responded with a smile: “It’s okay.” The conversation, picked up by the stump mic, quickly went viral on social media.

RCB then took a strategic timeout, allowing Kohli to recover before finishing his match-winning innings. 

Medical staff checked on him during the break, but he showed no signs of serious discomfort and continued to lead RCB to a convincing nine-wicket victory with 15 balls to spare.

Kohli appeared in good spirits after the win, celebrating a crucial result that keeps RCB’s playoff hopes alive in IPL 2025.

Following the game, Sanju Samson praised both Kohli and Phil Salt, who contributed 30 off 20 balls, for their explosive 92-run opening stand.

“We knew they would come hard at us, and I think they won the game in the powerplay. Credit to RCB. The ball came on better in the second innings. They were really good,” Samson said at the post-match presentation.

Despite the intense heat, Kohli’s composed knock once again demonstrated why he’s regarded as one of the best in the game.

During the same match, the former RCB captain also achieved a significant milestone, becoming the first Indian—and only the second batter in T20 history—to score 100 half-centuries. He reached this feat in his 405th T20 appearance.