Kolkata : RCB and Virat Kohli – a better love story than twilight. The crown of ‘King Kohli’ was well decorated with only a gem missing – IPL title.
However, he added that too in his crown on June 3,2025, defeating Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS in IPL 2025 final. Kohli was seen highly emotional and in tears after the win. The triumph displays intense penance, struggle that he faced with RCB and finally the results paid off.
Kohli joined RCB in 2008 as teenager, groomed as modern day great, and finally at the end of his career, he won it for the franchise for which he gave his youth, prime and experience. Every season RCB got knocked out either in league stage or from playoffs. They even qualified for 3 finals previously but without success. This time the tables turned, making it emotional for Kohli and loyal fans who supported the franchise in hard times.
“I’ve given this team my youth, my prime and my experience, and I’ve tried to win this every season and I give it everything I have. To finally have this moment come, it’s an unbelievable feeling. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotions as soon as the last ball was bowled and this means so much to me”, Kohli said.
Regarding the loyal bond he has with RCB and ranking this title high in his career he said, “Well, it’s right up there. As I said, I’ve given everything that I had for the last 18 years. I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what, and I always dreamt of winning it with them. And this is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bengaluru, my soul is with Bengaluru. And as I said before, this is the team I’m going to play for till the last day that I play the IPL. So this one is absolutely right up there because, you know, as a sportsman, when you grind for something, and this is a very high intensity, high quality tournament, which is of great value in world cricket today. I’m someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments, and this one was missing. And tonight, I’m going to sleep like a baby.”
Kohli said that by the time he hangs his boots, he wants to give everything he has and thus looks for ways to improve. He doesn’t want to sit as an impact player and always demand staying on field for 20 overs, displaying his hunger for the game.
“Well, I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years. So there is an end date to our career, as you know. And by the time that I hang up my boots, I want to sit at home and say I gave it everything I had. So I look for ways to improve. I can’t play as an impact player, I want to field 20 overs and make an impact in the field. That’s the kind of player I have been. And God’s blessed me with that perspective, with the talent. And I’m so very grateful to this victory. So thankful to God for giving it in my lap finally tonight. And I just put my head down, stay humble, and work as hard as I possibly can” , Kohli added.
RCB selected a new face – Rajat Patidar as their captain ahead of IPL 2025 and it turned tables. Their tactics in auction were questioned but it yielded results.
Acknowledging the squad and management, Kohli said, “And then you find different ways to help the team. This management, this group of players has been outstanding, to be honest. They’ve gotten the right kind of players, match winners, people who take the game on. In the auction, a lot of people questioned our tactics. But by day two, we were very happy with what we had. And we had a lot of confidence in the strength of this group. I want to give a big shout out to this team. It would not have been possible without each and every one in the squad, in the playing XI, the management backing the players, keeping us positive throughout when the going got tough. So it’s everyone’s. I don’t want to stand here and talk about myself. There’s a lot that’s spoken about me already. This win is for Bangalore. And it’s for each and every one of the players, and the families, and the whole management as well.”
