Virat Kohli Leads RCB to Historic IPL Victory and Shares All-Time XI
RCB's First IPL Title After 18 Years
After an 18-year wait, Virat Kohli finally celebrated his first IPL championship as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru triumphed over Punjab Kings to secure their inaugural title. Kohli, a pivotal figure for RCB since the league's inception, was instrumental in this victory, scoring 657 runs, making him the top performer for RCB in IPL 2025. As the team gears up to defend their title, Kohli's contributions will be crucial. Their title defense kicks off against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
In anticipation of IPL 2026, RCB released a video featuring Kohli selecting his all-time IPL XI. He chose the explosive Chris Gayle as his opening partner and placed AB de Villiers at the No. 3 spot. Both Gayle and De Villiers are celebrated figures in RCB's history, leading the team to numerous victories, yet they never clinched the trophy. The lineup also includes KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, and Dinesh Karthik in the 5th, 6th, and 7th positions. Rahul, now with Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026, previously played for RCB in 2016, while Patidar, who captained RCB in 2025, ended the team's trophy drought on his first attempt.
For the bowling department, Kohli selected Harshal Patel, Anil Kumble, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Upcoming RCB Matches in IPL 2025
Following their match against SRH on March 28 at Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB will face Chennai Super Kings on April 5. They will then play against Rajasthan Royals on April 10 in Guwahati, followed by a clash with the Mumbai Indians on April 12 at Wankhede Stadium. Currently, only the schedule for the first 20 matches has been announced, with the rest expected to be released soon, especially after the election dates for various states have been confirmed.
Virat Kohli’s All-Time IPL XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Anil Kumble, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Yuzvendra Chahal