TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: Virat Kohli has never known how to hide his emotions. He wears them proudly, on his sleeve and often on his face. On Sunday night, under the lights of a packed Narendra Modi Stadium, there was not a single moment when he was not completely invested in the occasion.
Even before the first ball was bowled, Kohli's intensity was impossible to miss. As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players gathered in a huddle, Kohli dropped to his knees, surrounded by teammates, delivering an animated pep talk in his trademark style. Every gesture carried purpose. Every word carried belief. From that moment onwards, he looked like a man possessed.
He celebrated every Gujarat Titans (GT) wicket as if it were the winning moment. Every dot ball drew a roar. Every breakthrough brought clenched fists and unfiltered passion. And with more than 90,000 spectators chanting "Kohli, Kohli" in unison, the man who has built his career on rising to the grandest stages once again embraced the spotlight.
Chasing a modest target of 156 in the IPL final, RCB raced out of the blocks before losing a few quick wickets. It was the sort of moment that has haunted the franchise in the past. It was also the sort of moment that could have reopened old scars for Kohli, who has experienced more than his share of heartbreak in IPL finals.
This time, however, he was not prepared to let the story slip away.
Calm amid the chaos, Kohli paced the chase with the assurance of a man who had lived every possible cricketing script. The greatest chase-master the game has seen took control, steering RCB towards a second successive IPL title with a commanding, unbeaten 75-run innings. It was fitting that the winning six also came from Kohli's willow.
RCB defeated GT by five wickets. Such was the domination of RCB that there were 20 balls left to bowl when they won the match. Rajat Patidar also became only the third captain to have won back-to-back IPL titles after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Earlier, RCB's pace battery produced a clinical bowling performance to restrict GT to 155 for 8.
After opting to bowl, Rajat Patidar's side executed their plans perfectly, relentlessly hitting hard lengths and denying the hosts any momentum. Shubman Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) showed early spark but fell in quick succession to Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar respectively.
Nishant Sindhu's promotion to No. 3 failed to pay off as Rasikh Salam Dar removed him for 20, while Jos Buttler never looked comfortable during his 23-ball 19 and Krunal Pandya outfoxed him with all his experience.
RCB's grip never loosened. Hazlewood trapped Arshad Khan with another short-ball ploy, while Rasikh finished as the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 27. Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood claimed two wickets each.
Washington Sundar's unbeaten 50 off 37 balls gave GT something to defend, but 155 for 8 looked well below par against a formidable RCB side chasing a second successive IPL title.
For years, RCB were often defined by Kohli. They possessed cricket's biggest superstar but struggled to build an identity that matched his relentless standards. Seasons began with hope and expectation before fading away when it mattered most. Even after Kohli stepped down as captain, the pattern largely remained unchanged.
Everything changed in 2025.
RCB took a bold call by handing the captaincy to Rajat Patidar and ended an 18-year wait for the IPL trophy. Sometimes a title transforms a team. Sometimes it unlocks a belief that cannot be taught. Sometimes, it takes a title for a team to unlock the beast inside it. That is exactly what seems to have happened with this Rajat Patidar-led RCB side.
Barring the defeat in Guwahati, where Vaibhav Suryavanshi produced a breathtaking masterclass, RCB have looked virtually unstoppable this season. They attacked with the bat, hunted in a pack with the ball and carried an aura that few teams could match.
Without a shred of doubt, they have been the most complete side in the competition. Every base appears covered. Every player understands his role. And fittingly, they now play with the same aggression, conviction and fearlessness that have defined the franchise's greatest ever cricketer.
Virat Kohli may no longer be RCB's captain, but his spirit runs through this team. On the biggest night of the season, it was impossible not to see it.
Brief Scores: GT: 155/8: (Washington Sundar 50*, Nishant Sindhu 20, Rasikh Salam 3/27) lose to RCB: 161/5 in 18 overs (Virat Kohli 75*, Venkatesh Iyer 32, Rashid Khan 2/25).Stay updated with the
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