Virat Kohli’s IPL journey took 18 years to produce a trophy moment, and then—almost like a dream catching up—he has two titles to show for it. At 37 and a half, Kohli delivered the fastest T20 half-century of his career and guided RCB to the winning runs in the chase, capping a long-held ambition with a decisive, unbeaten effort. His 75 not out was the launchpad for RCB’s second championship, and the veteran sounded genuinely satisfied with how the season played out.
Quick facts
- Virat Kohli waited 18 years for his first IPL title; he now has two.
- At 37 and a half, Kohli smashed the quickest T20 half-century of his IPL career.
- Kohli finished unbeaten on 75 as RCB chased down the target to win their second IPL title.
- After the opening 10 matches, eight different players won the Player of the Match award for RCB.
- RCB’s chase strategy included “killing the game in the powerplay,” as Kohli recalled from 2025.
- Kohli said the final this year felt different from last year due to reduced pressure and clear confidence in the squad.
- After a short break, RCB had one loss, then a close win over Mumbai Indians in Raipur, followed by a comprehensive win versus KKR.
- At the Narendra Modi Stadium, Kohli claimed around 90% of the crowd supported RCB despite it being Gujarat Titans’ home ground.
At the post-match presentation, Kohli described the feeling as something he had imagined repeatedly. “It is the stuff you dream of. I thought of this moment many times, wanting to hit the winning run,” he said, putting into words the patience and persistence behind his run to the trophy.
When asked about reaching his half-century in just 25 balls, Kohli framed it as a reminder of how quickly the game evolves at the top level. He joked that the intensity from “super young players” forces everyone to raise the bar, though he also made it clear he understood the seriousness of staying adaptable. “I had to change my mindset, not my game so much—take on bowlers and get extra runs,” he added.
RCB’s season felt shared, not one-man driven
Kohli highlighted one of the key themes of the campaign: early consistency from multiple contributors. He pointed out that in the first 10 games, there were eight separate match-winning players receiving Player of the Match recognition, which he said eased the burden of expectation. In his view, it was no longer about the team relying on one individual to lift performances every time.
“We’ve had to wait for so long and then, just to have a group of guys where you feel like you’re stepping onto the ground, you don’t need to be the one to step up every time,” Kohli said. He stressed that teammates were “behind you” and “around you,” capable of delivering match-defining moments rather than leaving everything to one star.
He also referenced a spread of Man of the Match awards throughout the group, naming several bowlers as examples of why the side feels balanced. Kohli pointed to Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy and Krunal Pandya, adding that Krunal remains as effective as ever, while praising Rasikh Salam Dar for a standout season.
For Kohli, the structure built by RCB management over the previous two seasons was the deciding factor in turning promise into outcomes. He said he felt “really relaxed” when he walked out, explaining that the squad’s overall confidence helps them handle different scenarios. “We knew exactly what to do in the chase,” he said, suggesting clarity in roles and execution.
Respectful rivalry and a plan for the big moments
Kohli then spoke about the mindset the team brought to opponents—care-free about who the opposition was, but respectful in how they approached every contest. His message was blunt: the team’s first goal was to top the table, and the opponent’s identity didn’t change their preparation. “Our first target was to go top of the table. We didn’t care what jersey was in front of us thereon. We’re respectful, don’t poke any team. We have mature professionals, and experience shines through,” he said.
He added that in the most crucial situations, the “big boys” must deliver, especially in a chase where early wickets can tilt momentum. Kohli acknowledged that opponents would likely look to remove him quickly, but he believed RCB had the right champions in place to finish the job with a few overs remaining. “Come the big situation, you need the big boys to step up. I know it’s a chase and they’ll look to get me out early, but I knew we have a champion side that can chase it down with 3-4 overs to go,” he said.
Kohli also reflected on the memory of missing out for years and what RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, told the squad after their first title in 2025. “When we won last year, Mo Bobat said this is not the end of the journey and we had to go back-to-back. At the start of the chase, I told Venky [Venkatesh Iyer] that we need to kill the game in the powerplay. There was total clarity,” Kohli recalled.
He said the current group possesses both balance and strength, and he credited the batting unit for sharing the workload. “All the batsmen chipped in as well. I feel so happy to play in a group where we have balance, we have strength, and we are an all-around strong team and that’s why we have the confidence we have on the field right now,” he added.
Kohli described this year’s final as a different experience from last season’s showpiece. He told some teammates that the pressure didn’t feel the same, because the group understood its own abilities. “I said to a few of the boys that it doesn’t feel like the same pressure as last year, we knew what kind of ability we have in the group,” Kohli said.
He went on to explain how results in the league stage reflected the team’s readiness. “We topped the table, there’s a reason why we got here first,” he said, adding that RCB focused on sticking to their cricket and executing plans. Kohli described the campaign as “clinical” throughout the tournament, pointing to maturity and composure that kept showing up during pressure moments.
Belief restored after the break
Kohli acknowledged that RCB were tested following a short break in the season, but a key sequence of results re-energised the squad. He spoke of “a couple of losses,” clarifying that it was essentially one setback, before the team bounced back with a close win over Mumbai Indians in Raipur.
“After the break, we had a couple of losses… I mean, one loss, and then we had a close win against MI,” Kohli said. He called the week “tricky” because the team wanted to finish at the top, but he said the belief returned immediately after the MI victory.
From there, Kohli described a run of improvement: a comprehensive win against KKR followed, and RCB continued their momentum all the way to the final. “I’d say that week for us was a bit tricky because we wanted to finish top, but as soon as we got there, with the win against MI, the belief kicked back in, then we had a comprehensive win against KKR and then, yeah, just ended up topping the table and just on our way to the final,” he said.
Even though the Narendra Modi Stadium is Gujarat Titans’ home ground, Kohli insisted RCB were backed by the majority of the crowd. “90 per cent of the fans were supporting RCB,” he said, adding that the support felt consistent rather than occasional.
In closing, Kohli expressed gratitude for the fanbase and underlined the scale of support during the season. “We have 14 home games, not seven, we have fans behind us all the time… 90 per cent of the fans are on our side despite it being GT’s home ground,” he said.
