The amount of resilience, skills, and loyalty Virat Kohli has shown for one club to win the IPL trophy is absolutely rare; there are very few players out there to remain loyal from the beginning of the tournament until today. Kohli is one of them.

Naturally, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) conquered the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League, all the celebrations were around the former skipper. Cricket fans had started to recall the early days when Virat was an emerging cricketer and joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Like the league, the then-emerging player also showed lots of potential.

Like normal fans of Kohli or RCB around the globe, the franchise's first owner and fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya also recalled those early days. Why did his franchise opt to bring in a young Delhi batter? Mallya faced the question in a podcast.

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In a sense of proclamation, Mallya claimed that he could sense something special about the talent from the U19 national squad, and without making any delay, he bid for young Virat Kohli. The squad of RCB back in those days contained legends like Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, and Jacques Kallis, and along with them a bunch of budding talent, including Virat.

Mallya was impressed to watch a U19 Virat Kohli 

"I handpicked players who could make RCB a powerhouse. My biggest pride was spotting Virat Kohli, a youngster from the Under-19 World Cup team. My inner instinct told me he was special, and I bid for him. Getting Rahul Dravid as our icon player was a no-brainer—he was Bangalore's pride. We also brought in global stars like Jacques Kallis, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan. I wanted a mix of local heroes and international flair. My dream was to bring the IPL trophy to Bangalore, and I built the team with that goal," Mallya said this on a podcast. 

"Shortly before the actual selection process, they were playing the U-19 World Cup, and I was very impressed with him. So, I picked him, and it's wonderful; 18 years later, he is still there." That's what Vijay Mallya said about Virat Kohli. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has finally broken the jinx, winning the IPL trophy after 18 years of hard work and resilience. After defeating Punjab Kings in the final, RCB lifted the IPL 2025 and ended the trophy drought. After this historic moment, the fugitive and the first owner of RCB, Vijay Mallya, took to his social media account to reveal his emotions about the franchise he bought.

In a podcast, Mallya disclosed the reasons behind the bid for the Bengaluru-based franchise from the auction. Mallya also claimed that he actually bid for three franchises from the auction, including Mumbai Indians, which was eventually bought by Mukesh Ambani, and Vijay got the franchise from Bengaluru.

"I was very impressed with the pitch that Lalit Modi made to the BCCI committee about this league. He called me one day and said, Ok, teams are going to be auctioned. Are you going to buy it? So, I bid on three franchises, and I lost Mumbai by a very small amount of money," Mallya said this on a podcast.

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But why did he decide to make an investment in the newly formed league?

In simple words, Mallya saw their business and opportunity. The fugitive businessman said that he saw huge potential in the Indian Premier League, a table turner for Indian cricket. So he wanted to create something huge that could influence people on and off the field. From that thought, he decided to add the brand of Royal Challenge to the franchise. 

How Did Vijay Mallya Buy RCB In IPL? | Vijay Mallya | Raj Shamani #shorts https://t.co/lNLF6glCe0 via @YouTube

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 5, 2025

"When I bid for the RCB franchise in 2008, I saw the IPL as a game-changer for Indian cricket. My vision was to create a team that embodied the spirit of Bangalore—vibrant, dynamic, and glamorous. I paid $112 million, the second-highest bid, because I believed in the potential. I wanted RCB to be a brand that stood for excellence, not just on the field but off it too. That's why I tied it to Royal Challenge, one of our top-selling liquor brands, to give it that bold identity," Vijay Mallya informed us on the podcast. 

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) owner Vijay Mallya has revealed that he was the man behind bringing Virat Kohli into the franchise during the first Indian Premier League (IPL) draft. Remembering the league's early days, Mallya said that he personally signed Kohli from the Under-19 players' draft in 2008, after his illustrious show in the ICC U-19 World Cup. RCB's recent win in IPL 2025, ending a wait of 17 years, has reminded the world of Kohli's long association with the side.

Mallya reminisced about his experience of being at the inaugural IPL auction and specifically opting for Kohli. "I was the one who selected Virat Kohli. I was waiting there for the pick, and the moment it was my turn, I immediately selected Virat," Mallya remembered. He added that Kohli’s consistent performances and leadership qualities made it a natural decision to eventually appoint him as the RCB captain. Over the years, Kohli became the face of the franchise and its most loyal figure.

Kohli has been an RCB stalwart since 2008, and he has amassed more than 8600 runs in his IPL career, making him the all-time leading run-scorer in the IPL. Despite several close calls and three finals, the IPL trophy had eluded him during his stint as captain. Finally, however, in 2025, the trophy was secured, bringing immense joy to fans and long-time supporters.

Kohli’s Impact in RCB’s Historic Win

Rajat Patidar was the captain of RCB in 2025, but Kohli was the full-time opening batter of the team. Kohli scored 657 runs in 15 matches as he was a huge asset for them throughout. His key innings was the valuable 43 runs that helped RCB secure a narrow win by six runs in the final against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

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With no other batter putting up significant runs in the final, Kohli's composed innings was the only standout. The title win was the perfect bank for Kohli for all of the years of loyalty that were fulfilled in a dream RCB had with his supporters.

After the historic night, Vijay Mallya also took to social media to share his thoughts. It was a dream come true moment, said Mallya. Vijay recalled the moment when he founded Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) or when he decided to bring a young Virat Kohli into the team.

He said from his official 'X' account, 'When I founded RCB, it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster, and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years."

When someone talked about Virat Kohli or Royal Challengers Bengaluru, two other names also struck my mind: Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers. The legacy of RCB would have remained incomplete without these two power hitters of the game. Virat, Gayle, and Villiers—undoubtedly one of the most fierce trios of all time in the history of the Indian Premier League.

When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years. I also had the honour of picking Chris Gayle the Universe Boss…

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 3, 2025

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"I also had the honor of picking Chris Gayle, the Universe Boss, and Mr. 360, AB DeVillers, who remain an indelible part of RCB history. Finally, the IPL trophy arrives in Bengaluru. Congratulations and thanks again to all who made my dream come true. RCB fans are the very best, and they deserve the IPL trophy. Ee Sala Cup Bengaluru baruthe." 

The way RCB defeated Punjab in the final

Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl after winning the toss. PBKS bowlers did well enough to restrict the Bengaluru batters, especially during the initial stage. Despite the obstacles laid by the Punjab, Royal Challengers Bengaluru was able to get a fighting total of 190 on the scoreboard. 

RCB won the final and won the tournament as a result of their collective efforts as a unit. The bowling department did their job to halt Shreyas Iyer's team at 184 after losing 7 scalps. RCB won the IPL 2025 grand finale by 6 runs, and Krunal Pandya grabbed the man of the match trophy for his brilliant bowling, offering only 17 runs in 4 overs and bagging 2 wickets.

It was a night of drama, domination, and a touch of nostalgia on a night that saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) end their 17-year wait for victory in Chennai as they defeated arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 50 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium during IPL 2025.

Adding to the excitement was a surprise congratulatory tweet from former RCB owner Vijay Mallya, who turned to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the performance of the team. Congratulations to RCB on a comprehensive win against the Southern opposition, CSK, in their Chepauk stronghold after 18 years. A stellar all-around display with bat and ball. Play Bold lads," tweeted Mallya, who is currently based in the UK and under legal proceedings back in India on charges of financial crimes involving ₹9000 crores in defaults on loans.

RCB, who had just beaten Kolkata Knight Riders in the tournament opener, is now sitting pretty at the top of the IPL 2025 standings with two wins in two. Skipper Rajat Patidar led by example with a gritty half-century, laying the platform for a total of 196/7, which proved more than sufficient, courtesy of a sharp bowling performance that sent CSK packing for 146/8.

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Congratulations to RCB for an emphatic victory over Southern rivals CSK in their Chepauk fortress after 18 long years. A great all round performance with bat and ball. Play Bold guys.

— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) March 28, 2025

This game wasn't another victory it was the first time since 2008 that RCB had defeated CSK in Chennai. The magnitude of the moment was not lost on anyone, certainly not Virat Kohli, who is the sole remaining player from that triumphant 2008 team. His broad grin after the game spoke volumes Chepauk, at last, tamed.

With fans pouring into social media and even veteran faces such as Mallya making themselves heard on the net, RCB's initial momentum this season has renewed hope for the elusive IPL title.