IPL 8 Controversy: 'Virat Kohli Should Not Have Visited Girl-Friend During Rain Break'

Virat Kohli may have broken stringent anti-corruption guidelines when he stepped out of the dressing room and met his girl-friend Anushka Sharma in the VIP Box during the rain-hit IPL8 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.

One to grab headlines both on and off the field, Kohli may have breached anti-corruption protocols by meeting his glamorous beau during a rain break. According to NDTV cricket expert Dean Jones, Kohli should have known his limits. "He can't be at his whims and fancies because he wants to see his girl-friend," said Jones. (Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma and a candid conversation)

The rain delay at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium gave Kohli plenty of time to catch up with boyfriend duties. The RCB skipper was pictured in a playful mood with Anushka, who is a frequent visitor at Kohli's matches both at home and abroad. Kohli was not the only player who was seen in the VIP box. (IPL 2015: Who plays whom in knockouts)

Delhi's Yuvraj Singh, who recently addressed Anushka as "Bhabhi" (sister-in-law), and Kohli's RCB teammate Dinesh Karthik were also seen in the VIP box. (IPL 2015 complete coverage | Points Table | Stats)

"The biggest cancer hitting cricket is illegal gambling. We try to stop communication between players and they are well aware of this. Virat made a mistake stepping out of the dressing room," Jones said.

At a time when cricket is fighting the menace of match-fixing, Kohli should have remained in the dressing room and focused on the match instead of his girl-friend, said former Australian batsman Jones. The image of IPL has been hit after the betting and spot-fixing scandal broke in 2013.

"All that Virat had to do was say 'Sorry darling, I want to see you but there is a rain delay and I have to stay within the confines of the dressing room,", Jones said, adding: 'How many times do we have to educate the players that they have to protect the integrity of the game, that is your role. Players are the trustees of the game."

Royal Challengers Bangalore rode on Kohli's 'lady luck' as they stormed into the playoffs after their concluding league match against Delhi Daredevils was abandoned midway due to heavy showers. RCB will play Rajasthan Royals in the IPL eliminator on May 20 in Pune.