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In a moment that will be etched in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s folklore, Virat Kohli, the heart and soul of the franchise, addressed a sea of red at a packed M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the team’s grand homecoming ceremony after a historic victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (June 3).
Virat Kohli moves fans with touching address as RCB celebrates IPL 2025 win at Chinnaswamy
In a video shared by ANI on X, Kohli stood visibly emotional, tears welling up as the crowd chanted his name in unison, “Kohli, Kohli, Kohli!” Struggling to contain the overwhelming moment, Kohli briefly paused, signaling with a smile, “I don’t have much time. We need to wrap this up. We have to display our trophy,” His tone was calm, but the intensity of the moment wasn’t lost on anyone. Then came the words every RCB supporter had waited nearly two decades to hear, “It’s no more Ee Saala Cup Namde. It’s Ee Saala Cup Namdu. We have done it,” With that declaration, the crowd erupted like never before.
Kohli, who had carried the weight of expectations for 18 years, made it abundantly clear that this triumph wasn’t just for the players or the management; it belonged to the people. “This victory is not merely for the players but also for the supporters, the people of this great city,” he stated, his voice echoing with gratitude. He acknowledged the fans as the most passionate and loyal in all of global sport. “I have never seen any fanbase of any team in the world like you guys. Congratulations to all of you,” Kohli declared, drawing another thunderous ovation. His words weren’t just rhetoric; they were an emotional acknowledgment of a fanbase that had stood by the team through heartbreaks, near-misses, and years of despair.
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A heartfelt salute to Rajat Patidar from Kohli
In what was one of the evening’s most moving segments, Kohli turned his attention to Rajat Patidar, the young captain who guided RCB to their first-ever IPL title in 2025. Taking the crowd back to RCB’s pre-season ‘Unbox’ event, Kohli reminded them of his belief in Patidar: “So when we did our unboxing and we were going to call upon our new captain, I had requested you guys to back him and to support him. I said one thing very clearly, that this guy is going to lead us for a long, long time to come,”
As Kohli called out Patidar’s name, the crowd once again went wild. Fireworks lit up the sky as Patidar emerged from the tunnel, holding the IPL trophy aloft, standing tall and proud. In that moment, it was more than just a celebration—it was a symbolic passing of the torch, a heartfelt blessing from the man who defined RCB’s legacy to the young leader now shaping its future.
Patidar’s rise to leadership and ultimate glory was no fluke. Throughout the season, he led with composure, confidence, and fearlessness. And when he stood on that stage beside Kohli, holding the silverware, it wasn’t just the coronation of a champion, it was the confirmation that RCB had finally found their long-awaited answer. In one poetic gesture, Kohli summed up what the victory meant: “He has won the trophy for us in the first season. Welcome our captain, Rajat Patidar,”
Here’s the video:
#WATCH | Virat Kohli praises #RoyalChallengersBengaluru captain Rajat Patidar as RCB ended their 18-year-long wait and won their maiden IPL trophy yesterday after defeating Punjab Kings
"He will lead us for a long time," says Virat Kohli
(Visuals from M Chinnaswamy Stadium in… pic.twitter.com/V1W8GrR5Qg
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2025
Also READ: In Pics: RCB players celebrate with family members after historic IPL 2025 title win