Virat Kohli fulfilled a long-cherished dream on Sunday when he sealed Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory with a towering six, guiding the team to a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“It's the stuff you dream of. I've thought about this moment many times — wanting to hit the winning runs,” Kohli said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
The 37-year-old former India captain remained composed after leading RCB to another title triumph. Kohli starred in the chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls as Bengaluru successfully hunted down a target of 156 in just 18 overs.
He finished the season as RCB's leading run-scorer with 675 runs and registered the fastest half-century of his IPL career, taking his overall tally to 68 fifties and nine centuries.
“I take a lot of pride in constantly improving and figuring out areas where I can get better,” Kohli said. "I had to change my mindset, not my game so much, take on bowlers and get extra runs".
Kohli, who now has 9,336 runs to his name — the most in IPL history — said adapting to the evolving demands of modern T20 cricket has been crucial to maintaining his success.
“Such is the demand of the game that these super-young players keep pushing you to raise the bar,” he said.
Reflecting on the team's success, Kohli praised the balance and depth within the current RCB squad.
“All the batters chipped in. I feel fortunate to be part of a group that has balance, strength and confidence. We are a well-rounded side, and that's why we play with so much belief on the field,” he said.
Kohli also acknowledged that the the final this year felt a lot different than last year. “I told a few of the boys that it didn't feel like the same pressure as last year because we knew the kind of ability we had in this group,” he said.
“We topped the table for a reason. We kept reminding ourselves that if we stuck to our cricket and executed our plans, we were the best team in the competition. There's a reason we've been successful throughout the season.”
Emphasising the team's consistency, Kohli added: “Finishing at the top of the league stage reflected the quality we have. The skill sets, maturity and composure of the players came through once again tonight. It was a clinical performance and a fitting culmination of a terrific tournament.”
