IPL 2025: Virat Kohli shares heartfelt Instagram post for RCB fans post first-ever title win

Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defied the curse and won their first Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy on Tuesday night, defeating Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a dramatic final. The star batter sent an emotional message on social media, dedicating the victory not only to his colleagues, but also to the fans who have followed the squad for nearly two decades.

In one of the photos, Virat Kohli, skipper Rajat Patidar, and wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma are shown hoisting the famous trophy and wearing a unique RCB ‘Champions’ jersey.

The t-shirt was crimson and had the word Champion printed in gold. However, the letter ‘I’ was substituted by ‘1’ to represent the popular franchise’s debut title.

“This squad made the fantasy a reality, and I will never forget this season. Over the last 2.5 months, we have greatly enjoyed the voyage. This one is for the RCB fans who have never abandoned us even in our darkest moments. This one is for all the years of heartache and disappointment. This is for every ounce of effort put forth on the pitch while representing this team. As far as the IPL trophy is concerned, you’ve had me wait 18 years to be able to raise you and rejoice my friend, but it’s been well worth it,” Kohli captioned his Instagram post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)

The 36-year-old’s emotions were obvious when the final ball was bowled. He was also spotted on his knees and breaking weeping. Kohli was also seen sprinting towards his wife, Anushka Sharma, and hugging her in celebration of the win. Meanwhile, Kohli had another memorable season, scoring 657 runs in 15 innings, including eight fifties. He has been with the franchise since 2008, scoring over 8,600 runs, and is the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. He has captained RCB in 143 matches, including a final in 2016.

Following the dramatic victory, Bengaluru erupted in celebration, lighting up the city with fireworks and painting it red. Meanwhile, the team has planned a victory parade for June 4 in Bengaluru, during which the players would ride through the city to celebrate with their faithful followers. However, RCB has yet to provide additional information regarding the parade.