Virat Kohli (BCCI/IPL Photo) Veteran Virat Kohli began the most nerve-wracking phase of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic IPL 2025 triumph, recalling how the final moments of the title clash against Punjab Kings tested his emotions despite victory being within reach.In a video shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru on social media, Kohli reflected on the journey, the pressure and the surreal feeling of finally lifting the IPL trophy after years of grief.
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Eighteen years of waiting ends with a historic victory
For the first time in their history, RCB enters the IPL season as the defending champions. The franchise previously fell in the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016, making the 2025 triumph all the more special. Kohli, who has been with RCB since the inaugural season, described the victory as more than just a celebration.“It was a very special night for all of us at RCB. I have been here since day one and so has Ramesh Mane (team masseur and caretaker). We are probably the oldest members of the RCB group,” Kohli said ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
Calm confidence before the final
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Kohli revealed that the team approached the final with a balanced mindset. RCB went into the clash against Punjab Kings confident but grounded, fully aware of the challenge posed by the strong opposition.“When we got to the final I felt a sense of calm confidence. But you also understand it’s not going to be a cakewalk. It’s a final and there’s another team who played really well to get there. Obviously they’ve beaten a lot of good sides too so they’re also very confident in what they want to do.”
Near Misses That Build Championship Character
Kohli believes RCB’s earlier disappointment, rather than being weighed down by past failures, has actually strengthened their resolve. Having come close several times without clearing the final hurdle, the team used those experiences as motivation.“Having a history of near misses and near misses in the past when we got to the final and couldn’t win. I think it gave us that extra motivation to keep our nerve. As the league has become a lot more competitive, we’ve had to play really good cricket to get to the final. It’s not a fluke, it’s not a fluke. We beat some really good teams on the day and earned the right to be a great team.”As the match drew to a close, Kohli said the occasion became deeply personal. The result brought with it a rush of memories from his long run with the franchise.“Overall it was an amazing night for all of us. It was quite surreal for me to be honest, quite unbelievable when it all finally unfolded. So many things flashed before your eyes. The whole journey of 18 years. All the ups and downs, all the good moments, the bad moments. It’s like a build-up of everything that happens in the next ten minutes and that happens before very difficult moments.” explain.
The hardest part: The nerve-racking finale
Interestingly, Kohli revealed that the toughest part of the night came when the result was almost certain. Even with the game sealed, the suspense of the final kept him on edge, especially waiting for the last few deliveries.“Especially the last over where you know the game is sealed. Hoping Josh (Hazlewood) doesn’t bowl any balls, which he never does. There was quite a bit of confidence there, but still, like I said, you’re hoping for a perfect result. So knowing the game was out and then waiting for the last three balls was probably the hardest part of the night,” Kohli recalled.
