At last, after 18 years, Virat Kohli has finally gotten his hands on the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to win their maiden IPL title.
Is there a case for comparison between Virat Kohli and Lionel Messi. The Argentine won nearly every major football trophy at both club and individual levels – multiple Champions League titles, multiple Ballon d’Ors, multiple domestic league crowns, and even a continental triumph with Argentina. But for years, the FIFA World Cup remained the elusive piece of silverware – until the 2022 FIFA World Cup happened.
Virat Kohli’s case was similar but presented a kind of reverse vacuum. He had won it all – the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008, the ODI World Cup in 2011, Champions Trophies in 2013 and 2025, multiple Asia Cups, the ICC Test Mace (for three consecutive years), and the T20 World Cup in 2024. One trophy, though, continued to elude him – the IPL. That was only till Tuesday night. That gap too was filled, just as Messi completed his legacy journey in 2022.
Most runs in the IPL (8661, leads the second placed batter by more than 1500 runs), most 500-plus runs (eight) in an IPL edition, third most IPL caps (267), 10 appearances in the IPL play-offs, four final appearances, most hundreds (eight), most fifties (63), maximum runs in a season (973 in 2016) and most fours (771) – few players are more deserving of the IPL honours. After his 43 in the final versus Punjab Kings, Virat Kohli has taken his runs tally to 657 runs, third highest of the season.
After almost two decades of waiting, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally became IPL champions, it wasn’t just a title triumph for Virat Kohli. It was the culmination of a journey that began in 2008 when Virat Kohli was a fiery young batter who would go on to become one of the most influential cricketers of his generation. It was also a full-circle moment for a player and a franchise that have become one and the same over time.
RCB wins the coveted IPL Trophy 2025 after beating PBKS by 6 runs
Punjab Kings bowlers did everything they could to restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 190 for nine. But their batters failed to get the job done. RCB managed to get over the line despite not having the best time with the bat. Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 off 35 balls while skipper Rajat Patidar couldn’t build on a good start, managing 26 off 16 balls. For Punjab Kings, Yuzvendra Chahal was brilliant with figures of 1/37 in 4 overs, while Kyle Jamieson had the figures of 3 for 48.
Krunal Pandya turned the pressure on PBKS, dismissing impact sub Prabhsimran Singh, even as they made 52/1 in the powerplay, before Bhuvneshwar shut the doors on Punjab when he got rid of Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis in a span of three deliveries in the 17th over and thereon, RCB’s triumph was only a formality. Hailing RCB’S win ex RCBian and former Indian speedster Varun Aaron heaped loads off praise on Virat Kohli.
Varun Aaron is in all praise of Virat Kohli after RCB wins IPL 2025
Tributes continue to pour in for Virat Kohli as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru legend fulfilled his dream of lifting the coveted Indian Premier League title on Tuesday, June 3. After a painstaking wait of 18 years, Virat Kohli finally grabbed the silverware that had eluded him despite giving his heart and soul to the franchise. Former India cricketer Varun Aaron applauded the great’s IPL contributions and called him the “King of the castle” for being synonymous with RCB over the years.
“He [Kohli] has been the king of the castle in RCB for 18 years,” said Aaron on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out.
“At the end of the day, if they haven’t won a trophy, the first person they’re going to look at is Virat Kohli. And Virat Kohli, he loves to win. He can’t take second as even an option. So this is huge for him. Also, the kind of adoration and love he gets from the fans, from the franchise, is just huge.”
Aaron hailed Virat Kohli as the biggest and most loved face of Indian cricket after his idol and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, explaining why fans continue to gravitate towards the modern great.
“This is what they’ve been expecting for the longest time. It has come good. RCB have been the most loved team in the Indian Premier League by far. And now I don’t know where Virat’s going to go after this. The biggest Indian player after Sachin Tendulkar, I would say, who’s played day in, day out for 18 years, he’s hardly ever missed matches, he’s hardly ever missed IPLs, and he’s turned up season after season,” Aaron said.
“And given everything, when fans see the main player give everything on the field, with bat and even on the field, they’re going to feel that, you know what, this guy deserves something.”
Virat Kohli’s long journey with RCB came a full circle, with the cricketer ending an emotional trophy drought that tested his patience and persistence. The legendary Indian star never gave up on his association with the franchise despite suggestions to move elsewhere. Season after season, Virat Kohli kept piling on the runs even as RCB continued falling short, including defeats in the finals of the 2009, 2011 and 2016 editions.
The 36-year-old was finally rewarded for years of hard work and commitment with the memorable six-run win over Punjab Kings. The summit clash finished off a spectacular and overwhelming campaign for Virat Kohli, who amassed 657 runs in 15 innings and stood jubilant lifting the trophy at the podium.
Virat Kohli’s teary eyes after the final ball touched the hearts of all cricket fans, especially loyal RCB supporters who realised their longstanding wish of seeing the man lift the IPL crown. Virat Kohli finished as the third-highest run-getter of the tournament with eight half-centuries to his name.
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