For Virat Kohli, IPL 2025 triumph vindicates 18-year-long loyalty to RCB - a team of his ‘heart and soul’

For nearly two decades, Virat Kohli has carried the weight of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s expectations on his shoulders. On a historic night in Ahmedabad in his 18th season with the franchise, that burden finally turned into triumph.

RCB clinched their maiden IPL title on Tuesday, beating Punjab Kings by six runs in a tense final.

Kohli, fittingly, played a pivotal role in the victory, top-scoring for his side with a crucial 43-run knock and closing the season as RCB’s leading run-getter with 657 runs in 15 matches.

The win brought closure to years of heartbreak, including losses in the 2009, 2011 and 2016 finals, and vindicated Kohli’s unwavering commitment to a franchise he has never left since joining them as a 19-year-old in 2008.

“I’ve given this team my youth, my prime, and my experience,” an emotional Kohli said after the win. “I’ve tried to win this every season, giving it everything I have. To finally have this moment come… it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

As the final ball was bowled, Kohli was visibly overcome with emotion, eyes brimming with tears as he finally shed the tag of IPL’s nearly man.

The weight of the moment wasn’t lost on Kohli. Known for his emotional intensity, he described the win as one of the most significant achievements of his career, one which has seen him lift multiple World Cups and major ICC titles with Team India besides numerous personal accolades.

“This is right up there,” Kohli said. “I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what. I always dreamt of winning it with them. This is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bengaluru, my soul is with Bengaluru.”

In an age of franchise hopping, Kohli’s long-term association with RCB has been a rarity.

MS Dhoni’s link with Chennai Super Kings, perhaps, is the only compatible one, albeit that saga has been punctuated with five titles as compared to the numerous heartbreaks faced by Kohli.

Going to play for RCB till the end - Kohli

Through the highs and lows, Kohli has stuck with RCB and Tuesday’s victory only helped reaffirm his commitment to the team.

“This is the team I’m going to play for till the last day I play the IPL,” he reaffirmed. “As a sportsman, when you grind for something this hard in such a high-intensity tournament, it matters more. Tonight, I’m going to sleep like a baby.”

While Kohli’s personal story grabbed headlines, he made it clear the win was about the collective.

“This group of players, this management - they’ve been outstanding,” Kohli noted. “People questioned our auction tactics, but by day two, we knew we had something special. Match-winners, people who take the game on.”

RCB’s resurgence in IPL 2025 wasn’t built solely on star power, but on a squad that functioned as a unit under pressure. Kohli credited the support staff for maintaining belief during tough phases and ensuring the environment remained positive.

“I don’t want to stand here and talk about myself,” Kohli added. “This win is for Bengaluru. For every player, every family member, every member of the support staff. It wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Want to make an impact - Kohli

At 36, Kohli knows his days as a professional cricketer are numbered. But the fire to give everything until the end still burns bright.

“There’s an end date to our careers. And by the time I hang up my boots, I want to say I gave it everything,” he said. “I can’t be an impact player. I want to field 20 overs, make an impact there too. That’s the kind of player I’ve always been.”

The victory, he admitted, felt like a divine reward for perseverance.

“I’m so thankful to God for giving this in my lap tonight,” he said. “All I can do is put my head down, stay humble, and work as hard as I possibly can.”

For a player who has achieved almost everything in world cricket, the IPL title had been a gaping hole in an otherwise glittering resume. Now, that void is filled.

For Kohli, the trophy is not just a reward. It’s a validation of loyalty, belief and unrelenting dedication to RCB and in extension, a cause he considered bigger than oneself.

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