Former U-19 and RCB teammate catches up with Virat Kohli in Kolkata ahead of IPL 2025 opener [In Picture]

Former India U-19 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate of Virat Kohli, Shreevats Goswami, caught up with the 36-year-old and posted a photo on his official social media handle. Kohli, along with his team RCB, is in Kolkata preparing ahead of their season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Both Kohli and Goswami shared the dressing room for India in the 2008 ICC Men's U-19 World Cup and then in the inaugural season of the IPL the same year. Goswami, playing for RCB, scored 82 runs in four innings and was the first winner of the IPL Emerging Player of the Year award.

Goswami shared a photo of him sitting alongside Virat Kohli on his X handle with a caption that read:

"Always a pleasure catching up 🤝"

Take a look at the post below:

Goswami, post his stint with RCB, went on to play for Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL. He went unsold in the auctions held in 2021 and 2022. The 35-year-old hung up his boots after playing his last game in the Ranji Trophy in 2023 and recently was a part of the contingent that represented India at the Hong Kong Super Sixes.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match of IPL 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (L) and Phil Salt (R) were seen practicing at the venue yesterday, March 20 - Source: Getty

The 18th season of IPL kicks off with a rematch of one of the first IPL matches, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, March 22. Ajinkya Rahane will be leading KKR and Rajat Patidar will don the skipper's hat for the Bengaluru-based franchise.

Head to head, the two teams have faced 34 times in total, with KKR having the lead of 20-14. The hosts of this contest will be looking to strengthen that lead while RCB will hope to get their first win over KKR since 2022.