IPL 2025 CHAMPIONS: Just Do It For Virat Kohli, The Mantra Chant From RCB, For RCB, By RCB

Just Do It. This was a famous advertisement punch line from a leading sports shoe company. Keeping in sync with this philosophy, perhaps, Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rakat Patidar had said a day before the IPL 2025 final, the team wants to win the trophy for Virat Kohli.

Scenes of emotions and celebrations for the RCB, a massive family, which transcends language and regional barriers were in full bloom as they won their maiden IPL Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night.

For each fan of RCB, there were different takeaways, apart from the trophy. That is something which will be stored in the RCB headquarters cabinet.

From a fans' perspective, the biggest win was for Virat Kohli, the former skipper, who was in tears as he sank on his knees, hit the deck and shed tears. No, these were not artificial tears to tell the world he was being dramatic.

No, these were not tears of frustration from a man who has been trying again and again, only to see his side - RCB -trip at one hurdle or the other in the IPL. Truth be told, Kohli has faced as many obstacles in his cricket career as a 400 metre hurdler on the race track.

For the nasty handles on media and social media who were questioning Kohli's slow batting right approach through the IPL 2025, he provided many answers. Even against Punjab Kings in the final, he was not trying to bat like an 18-year-old flinging the willow.

Kohli was being responsible to ensure he was not going to leave his side stranded, so the decision to bat, keeping in mind a full 20 overs were there to consume, he fashioned a knock which was important in context, not stats and data.

That Kohli emerged the top scorer in the final for RCB was finite proof he reads the pitch conditions best. The ambience inside the stadium was one of noise, with stands packed to the rafters. Such an atmosphere can actually be intimidating.

No, not for Kohli or his side. It is still his side, he has been part of it since inception 18 years ago, when Lalit Modi was the face of the IPL. So much has changed for Kohli in his career, from boyhood to manhood and being single to a parent of two kids now and a doting husband.

For Kohli to attain a state of nirvana in the face of adversity, where some well-known sports editors of national language daily newspapers also bait him like a paid pimp, Kohli has let performance and character speak.

At 36, he is not getting younger. What he is doing, train hard, physically, ensure the love of his life is with him, since there are no restrictions applicable on wife travel and also uplift his spiritual level. The images one sees of Virat and Ansuhka Sharma in front of holy temples and spiritual gurus is important. That inner calm matters so much at this level of competition. Imagine, the IPL began on March 22 and the final was on June 3. Forget the 10-day break due to Operation Sindoor. Kohli had to prepare himself as well as his side, RCB.

It is fine to say Rajat Patidar as winning skipper did well for RCB, but there can be no denying what Kohli, mentor Dinesh Karthik and the RCB think-tank have done. To conceive, undergo gestation and deliver an IPL Trophy has taken even longer than a baby elephant being delivered. At the end, if the wait has been 18 years, it's worth it, though Virat Kohli cried.

Come on, he is a human being after all, even though people think he is God. Yes, he is a presiding deity for some, an idol for some and a role model for some. What the IPL fans across the world need to know, Kohli has given his life to RCB. Imagine, a Punjabi Puttar from West Delhi's Paschim Vihar conquers the IPL Trophy for RCB, with headquarters in Bengaluru. From Bangalore to Bengaluru, names have changed, but Kohli has been a constant.

Forget the fact Kohli has retired from Test cricket, whatever be the reason. MS Dhoni has said a few times, the CSK team management will never let him go. Ask Mo Bobat if they will let Virat Kohli? No way! Virat forever, says RCB fans.