Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh (Source:@KKRiders,x.com)
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have issued an official clarification after a viral video showing Kuldeep Yadav playfully slapping Rinku Singh twice stirred controversy online. The moment was captured just after KKR’s 14-run victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
What Happened Between Rinku & Kuldeep?
In the video that quickly spread across social media platforms, Kuldeep Yadav is seen interacting with Rinku Singh and a few other players near the boundary. During this exchange, he suddenly slaps Rinku lightly on the cheek.
While Rinku appears amused initially, the second slap visibly surprises him and causes a brief change in his expression, which led some viewers to question the nature of the interaction.
The video split fans, some speculated about underlying tension, despite the long-standing friendship between the two Uttar Pradesh teammates.
KKR Responds To Viral Kuldeep-Rinku Slap Video
In response to the viral clip, KKR posted a follow-up video on their official social media handle on Wednesday showing a cheerful and casual moment between Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku. The post was captioned:
"Media (𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘪) vs (𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘬𝘢) Reality! 𝘎𝘦𝘩𝘳𝘪 𝘥𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪 feat. our talented UP boys."
The short video clip shows the two laughing and chatting, making it clear that the earlier exchange was a light-hearted one between close friends, not a serious conflict.
Quick Recap Of DC vs KKR
On the field, KKR put up a dominant performance, posting a competitive 204/9 on the back of young Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 44 and Rinku Singh’s vital 36 off 25 deliveries. In reply, DC’s chase was led by Faf du Plessis (62) and Axar Patel (43), but they eventually fell short, managing 190/9.
Sunil Narine starred with the ball, picking up 3/29, while Varun Chakravarthy provided crucial support with tight middle overs. The win elevated KKR to nine points, keeping them firmly in contention for the IPL 2025 playoffs.
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