Harshit Rana Rules Out Flying-Kiss Send-Off for Virat Kohli

Kolkata Knight Riders' young pacer Harshit Rana has been making headlines for his on-field antics, particularly his controversial flying-kiss send-off. However, Rana has made it clear that he would never direct such a gesture towards Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batter.

Rana's flying-kiss celebration, initially aimed at Mayank Agarwal during an IPL match, resulted in a breach of the IPL Code of Conduct, leading to financial penalties and a match suspension. Reflecting on the incident, Rana clarified that it was not premeditated and was not intended for a player of Kohli's stature.

"I didn't plan to do that (flying-kiss send-off) in the first match, nor in the second match. Then people started saying, 'Show us if you could do that in the RCB match,'" Rana explained.

When asked about the possibility of performing such a celebration against Kohli, known for his aggressive demeanor on the field, Rana expressed utmost respect. "That's why I didn't provoke him. I have respect for him (Kohli), respect for all players, but I can't do that in front of him," Rana emphasized.

Rana's disciplinary issues did not end with the flying-kiss incident. His exuberant antics on the field, though entertaining to some, crossed the line of acceptable conduct in professional cricket. The IPL disciplinary committee sanctioned Rana with a one-match suspension and fined him his entire match fee for his second breach of conduct during the season.

This marked Rana as the first player in IPL 2024 to face such penalties. Despite the controversy, Rana, who racked up 25 wickets in 21 games for the IPL 2024 champions, remained a key figure for KKR, known for his pace and aggression, albeit now tempered with a lesson in the importance of respectful competition in cricket's premier tournament.

Tags: #HarshitRana, #FlyingKissSendOff, #ViratKohli, #IPL2024, #KKR