Watch: Virat Kohli crosses all limits, openly insults Musheer Khan with disgusting ‘Paani pilata hai’ jibe

Virat Kohli's gesture towards Musheer Khan drew criticism during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025. While RCB fans defended it as banter, others accused the veteran batter of showing disrespect towards the young debutant.

Musheer Khan made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Mullanpur Stadium on Thursday, May 29. The young batter didn’t feature in any match during the league stage, and his first outing came in a tough situation, with Punjab reeling at 60 for 6 in just 8.2 overs.

Watch: “Yeh Paani Pilata Hai” - Virat Kohli Sledges Musheer Khan

Musheer Khan was sent in as an impact substitute by Punjab Kings in the ninth over. He came to the crease after Shashank Singh’s dismissal off Suyash Sharma’s bowling. As the 20-year-old walked out to bat for his IPL debut, Virat Kohli appeared visibly surprised to see him at the crease.

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Kohli, who was standing at first slip, was animatedly chatting with a teammate, with many calling his gesture a banter at Musheer. The right-handed batter had just served drinks before being unexpectedly called to bat. However, the debutant was dismissed without scoring during the same over.

In a viral video, Kohli was caught on camera making a remark that appeared to call him a "water-boy," saying, “Ye paani pilata hai.” The clip quickly went viral across social media, sparking discussions about the senior player’s comment toward the young debutant.

Watch the video of the same posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:

🚨Do you agree with this lines trending??

'Virat Kohli Insulting Indian player saying "sending Water bottle player to play" worst behaviour what a cheap cricketer shameless creature.'#RCBvsPBKS #ViratKohli | Trophy | Finals | RCB RCB | Congratulations RCB| INTO THE FINALS pic.twitter.com/eWIskGoBew

— IndiaPulse: News & Trends (@IndiaPulseNow) May 30, 2025

Virat Kohli Faces Backlash on Social Media Over Gesture Towards Musheer Khan

The alleged comment made by the RCB veteran triggered a strong backlash on social media, with many fans accusing him of disrespecting the 20-year-old newcomer.

"Did anyone else notice the (probable) lip-sync and gestures from Virat Kohli when Musheer Khan was taking guard? If true, that's surprising even by his own standards. Definitely not the best demeanour from a 'legend of the game'," a fan wrote on X, lashing out at Kohli.

"Virat Kohli clearly gesturing "Ye Paani pilata hai" towards a youngster Musheer Khan in today's match of RCB vs PBKS tells a lot about why RCB fanbase is the most toxic one when the idol is only a troller. Never put him in the respectful league of MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, I repeat never," another fan wrote.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Secure Spot in IPL 2025 Final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their spot in the IPL 2025 final by defeating Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1. RCB’s bowlers restricted Punjab Kings to just 101 runs in 15 overs, with Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood each taking three wickets.

In response, RCB chased down the target in just 10 overs, led by an unbeaten 56 from Phil Salt. This will be RCB’s fourth IPL final appearance and their first since 2016, when they narrowly lost to SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).

They have reached the final multiple times without winning—first in 2009, then in 2011, and again in 2016—but will be eager to finally claim the title. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings still have a chance to face RCB again in the final if they win Qualifier 2 on June 1.

Also read: Big blow for MI: Deepak Chahar, Tilak Varma doubtful for IPL 2025 Eliminator