Virat Kohli deserves it more than anyone else: Patidar after captaining RCB to maiden IPL title

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and others during the team’s victory lap after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 T20 final cricket match, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

After 18 years of hurt and disappointment, when newly-crowned IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar got a chance to say “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” (this year the cup is ours), the fans roared.

But when he said that “Virat Kohli deserved it more than anyone else”, the cheers were deafening as the legend grinned from ear to ear.

“It is really special for me, for Virat Kohli, and all the fans. Those who have supported for years, they all deserve it. It’s a great opportunity for me and a great learning for me to captain Kohli, he deserves it more than anyone else,” Patidar said after the final here on Tuesday.

Patidar felt that 190 was a par score on a strip which was on the slower side.

“After the Qualifier, we thought that we can go through. I think 190 was a good score on this track as it was a bit slow. Bowlers executing their plans was tremendous to watch.” He praised Player of the Match Krunal Pandya for his 2/17 that became the game-changer.

“Krunal is a wicket-taking bowler. I look for him whenever we need wickets. Suyash and the pacers were good all season. Shepherd gave the key wicket tonight.” We will come back next year and lift the Cup ============================= A “dejected” Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer believed that fearless newcomers have been the biggest plus for the franchise which would come out all guns blazing next season to win an elusive IPL crown.

“Proud of each individual in our team, a lot of youngsters played their first season. Their fearlessness was phenomenal. Job is still half done, we have to win it next year. The way we turned up to every game was a positive, they’ve gained a lot of experience and we can build on that next year,” the PBKS skipper said.

He felt that a total of less than 200 was a par score on this track.

“They bowled excellently. Krunal was phenomenal, used his experience, that was the turning point.”

In front of a packed house, filled predominantly by RCB supporters, the franchise choked a nervy PBKS. RCB seemed to have dropped the ball by making 190 for nine, but more than made up for it with an excellent bowling performance.

Victory celebrations started early, when the in-form PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer nicked an innocuous ball outside off stump from medium-pacer Romario Shepherd.

Shreyas, the mastermind behind PBKS’ successful chase against Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2, left the field for one. And with him went PBKS’ own hopes of winning a maiden IPL title.

Shepherd may have picked up the big wicket of Shreyas, but it was Krunal Pandya who set it up. Coming into the attack in the seventh over, the left-arm spinner tied the batters in knots by keeping an exceptional length.

The 34-year-old conceded just 17 runs in his four overs, to go with the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis.

Shashank Singh (61 n.o., 30b, 3×4, 6×6) hung around in an attempt to spoil the RCB party, to no avail.

Shreyas called it right at the toss, and like he did against MI, chose to field first. Spells of rain a few hours before the start of the outing made the pitch wet, which led to the RCB batters taking a circumspect approach.

Save for a cameo from Phil Salt, the RCB top order stayed cautious.

Kohli (43, 35b, 3×4) took up the anchor role, keeping the ball along the ground and running quick singles and twos. This did increase the pressure on his partners, who were forced to adopt aggressive tactics.

With the run rate dropping below nine an over, RCB needed Jitesh Sharma to go all guns blazing. Jitesh was up for it with a 10-ball 24.

PBKS would have felt it did well to restrict RCB to below 200, but there would be no stopping RCB from making history.