TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: After Josh Hazlewood bowled the second dot of the final over, Virat Kohli’s face appeared on the big screen at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He was seen wiping tears from his eyes. The moment the last ball was bowled, he fell to his knees, and the emotions flowed.He was mobbed by his current RCB teammates. Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, his former RCB mates with whom he lost the final in 2016, were there to give him warm hugs. His biggest supporter, wife Anushka Sharma, was there to live the moment. In another emotional video, he jumps and hugs former India coach Ravi Shastri.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Right from the start of the day, it felt like it was written in the stars. There was a sea of Jersey No. 18 entering the stadium. The chants of “Virat, Virat” and “RCB, RCB” were easily heard from afar. The crowd was one-sided. They cheered for every RCB boundary, six, and wicket — but fell silent when Kohli was dismissed.Who’s that IPL player?When he collapsed onto the ground after the final ball, the first person to reach him was a cameraman — who probably had only one job: to capture his emotions.Virat generally wears his heart on his sleeve. The usual post-wicket roar was there, but after winning the IPL — the trophy he had chased for 18 years — something was missing. It was a subdued celebration from Kohli. Perhaps because he never truly believed this day would come. He even admitted as much.
“I never thought this day would come,” he told broadcasters after the match.“It has been 18 long years. I have given this team my youth, my prime, and my experience. I have tried to win this every season that I have played, and I have given everything I have. To finally have this moment come — it’s an unbelievable feeling.”The past few years hadn’t been kind to Virat. He was dogged by poor form, self-doubt, criticism, and mental health struggles. He relinquished captaincy in all three formats — including the IPL. And it seemed like Kohli was fading away, like so many sporting icons do.But he fought his demons. He produced one of the greatest T20I knocks against Pakistan at the MCG in the 2022 T20 World Cup. While T20s were never considered his forte, 50-over cricket has always been his domain — where he has reigned supreme. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where, heartbreakingly, the dream was shattered at this very venue.Yet again, he picked himself up. He was asked to open alongside Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. He struggled through most of the tournament, only to score a stunning 76 in the final against South Africa in Barbados. He then added another feather to his cap by winning the 2025 Champions Trophy.Kohli shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from Test cricket — the format he loved the most.Even after winning the IPL after so many years, he didn’t consider it anywhere near his achievements in Test cricket.“This moment is right up there with the best moments I’ve had in my career, but it still ranks five levels below Test cricket. That’s how much I love and value the format,” he told Matthew Hayden after the match.“I would just urge youngsters coming through to treat that format with respect. If you perform in Test cricket, you can walk around anywhere in the world, and people will look you in the eye, shake your hand, and say, ‘Well done, you played the game really well.’ If you want to earn respect globally, take up Test cricket, give it your heart and soul — and when you walk out the other side, you’ll have earned the respect of the cricketing world and legends like yourself.”
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting echoed Kohli’s sentiments.“I’m probably one of the biggest purists still involved in the game, whether I’m coaching or commentating. My first love is Test cricket — always has been,” he told reporters.“I totally understand what Virat means. He’s had a magnificent Test career, and an even better white-ball career that’s still ongoing. I’m not sure how much of a celebrator he is, but I reckon he’ll be celebrating long and hard tonight — and over the next few days,” said Ponting.Now, with the 18-year wait finally over and the monkey off RCB’s back, the question is: Will we now see a dominant RCB in years to come? And with Virat Kohli still scoring runs for fun, it’s a dangerous sign for all other teams.So, fasten your seatbelts — because as Virat said, his heart and soul are with Bangalore. That clearly means he’s not done yet, and the all-time great is coming for more.
