Virat Kohli deserves it more than anyone else: Patidar after leading RCB to maiden IPL title
After 18 years of hurt and disappointment, and a final that ebbed and flowed, when newly-crowned IPL champions
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
skipper Rajat Patidar got a chance to say "Ee Sala Cup Namdu" (this year the cup is ours), the fans roared.
But when he said that "
Virat Kohli
deserved it more than anyone else", the cheers were deafening as the legend grinned from ear to ear.
"It is really special for me, for Virat Kohli, and all the fans. Those who have supported for years, they all deserve it. It's a great opportunity for me and a great learning for me to captain Kohli, he deserves it more than anyone else," Patidar said after the final here on Tuesday.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
You Won't Believe What Homes Cost in Batna
Homes Cost | Search Ads
Learn More
Undo
Talisman Kohli praised Patidar's captaincy through the tournament and tossed his bat at him during the dressing room celebrations, and the skipper was seen kissing the willow in a show of respect.
Also Read:
Operation Sindoor may have played a role in RCB finally winning IPL after 18 years
Live Events
"Rajat led from the front, led with composure, his bowling changes, his calmness was absolutely phenomenal through the tournament," Kohli said.
"Heartbreak corner... no more. "What a turnaround. From injury replacement to IPL-winning captain. Bloody hell...," Kohli said of Patidar as he entered the dressing room.
It was at this very venue that India lost the final of the 2023 World Cup to Australia after an unbeaten run to the title clash, with Kohli in imperious form.
Also Read:
Virat Kohli dedicates RCB's maiden IPL trophy to AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, says 'It is as much theirs as mine'
"Very difficult to explain, man," Kohli said to the RCB cameraman.
"I think I am going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru tomorrow, and celebrate it with the city and the fans who have stood with us through thick and thin. So I am just relieved.
"Full bunch of match winners. People stepping up at different stages and putting their hands up to get the job done for the team. To have that hunger and confidence in them.
"I am just glad that I could do it with RCB," Kohli signed off.
Patidar felt that 190 was a par score on a strip which was on the slower side.
"After the Qualifier, we thought that we can go through. I think 190 was a good score on this track as it was a bit slow. Bowlers executing their plans was tremendous to watch."
He praised Player of the Match Krunal Pandya for his 2/17 that became the game-changer.
"Krunal is a wicket-taking bowler. I look for him whenever we need wickets. Suyash and the pacers were good all season. Shepherd gave the key wicket tonight."
We will come back next year and lift the Cup
A "dejected"
Punjab Kings
skipper Shreyas Iyer believed that fearless newcomers have been the biggest plus for the franchise which would come out all guns blazing next season to win an elusive IPL crown.
"Proud of each individual in our team, a lot of youngsters played their first season. Their fearlessness was phenomenal. Job is still half done, we have to win it next year. The way we turned up to every game was a positive, they've gained a lot of experience and we can build on that next year," the PBKS skipper said.
He felt that a total of less than 200 was a par score on this track.
"They bowled excellently. Krunal was phenomenal, used his experience, that was the turning point."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
12 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Fans deserve a better deal from sports administrators
The aftermath of the Bengaluru stampede made for an interesting case study. The police, the politicians, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the franchise were all in a race to shirk responsibility and put the blame on someone else. 'The fans were uncontrollable,' said deputy chief minister of Karnataka DK Shivakumar. BCCI quickly issued a statement saying that they had no role in the event. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) said 'the unfortunate incident' only came to light through media reports. The police, meanwhile, said they had not expected so many people to turn up and only deployed 1,000 personnel to manage the lakhs who turned up. While the compensation and financial support announced will help, it isn't the long-term solution India needs. The incident in Bengaluru was tragic, but the reality is that almost every well-attended Indian sporting event could so easily turn into a stampede. People (even if they are senior citizens) are made to walk long distances to the stadium because the parking lots are kilometres away, then they stand in line for hours and finally, enter through bottlenecks with police and private security ever-ready to use the omnipresent lathis. If that isn't enough to make you lose your cool, then comes the actual experience of the game itself. The view from the stands is poor, the toilets stink and the food often runs out. Some stadiums don't even offer the comfort of shade. That this happens in cricket, the most popular game in India, and one managed by the world's richest cricket board, suggests that it is likely the case in other sports as well. It's not that the tickets come cheap. In Bengaluru, the tickets during the IPL 2025 season went for anything between ₹2,300 and ₹42,000. At the top end, this is comparable to prices elsewhere in the world. But if stadium experiences were to be ranked, India would rank somewhere near the bottom. In Australia, by contrast, getting into a stadium means getting dropped by car right at the gate. There are so many volunteers around that help is never far away for the elderly, every stand has spots for the physically disabled and when it is too sunny, they hand out free sunscreen too. One would imagine Cricket Australia makes a lot more money than the BCCI, but it is not even close. To the Indian sports administrator, the fans are little more than cattle. Huddle them in, fill the stands, make them cheer the team and ignore their complaints. For even if they do, there are more than enough people waiting to take your place in the stands. While the number of fans is a boon for the sport, it is a curse for the fans themselves. The stampede must serve as a wake-up call for BCCI, which runs IPL as one of its subcommittees and earns millions of dollars from it. They must put in place protocols for any such celebration so as to ensure no human lives are lost in future. But it shouldn't end there. Addressing poor stadium conditions, improving ticket access, and fostering a more welcoming environment is important but showing empathy for the fans is a must. After all, who does the Indian team play for? Who does RCB (or any other team) play for? So many people turned up at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru because the messaging around the passes wasn't clear: It was done just a few hours before the event. Then, that is what people usually do for games: Turn up and there are usually a few passes or tickets to be had — for a price of course. Administrators argue that the fans don't know better but the fans could argue that neither do the administrators. The voice of the cricket fan on subjects like these is ignored. It is worrying that India now wants to hold mega events such as the Olympics. In November 2024, the Indian Olympic Association formally sent a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee's Future Host Commission expressing India's interest in hosting the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2036. The infrastructure will be built, the stadiums will shine and the athletes will compete for glory. But what about the fans? Who, other than the lathi-charging policemen, will cater to them? An estimated 11.2 million people visited the Greater Paris area during the Paris 2024 Olympics — by 2036, the count may be way higher. Does India have a plan in place to deal with this influx? Or will they all be treated like the fans in Bengaluru? The truth is, there is no quick fix for this problem and small but concrete steps will be needed to change things. It may take time but it'll be worth it. Major events are as much about the fans as they are about the athletes. The experience matters to everyone and unless a stern message is sent to the administrators, things won't improve. Being a fan shouldn't be a dangerous business but in India, it clearly is. If the fans want better, they need to make themselves heard in a way that cannot be ignored. Just imagine the message that empty stadiums will send. Treat fans better or play to the sound of silence. The views expressed are personal.
Pink Villa
18 minutes ago
- Pink Villa
Bollywood Newswrap June 6: Vivek Oberoi joins Ramayana to Akshay Kumar's Housefull 5 takes good box office start
From Housefull 5 release to Vivek Oberoi joining the star cast of Ranbir Kapoor and Yash starrer Ramayan, here's a quick recap of what happened throughout the day in Bollywood. Anupam Kher reunites with Sooraj Barjatya for the 9th film together Anupam Kher has been a crucial part of almost all the Sooraj Barjatya movies. Taking the tradition forward, the actor has joined the star cast of Barjatya's next romantic comedy set against the backdrop of the nuclear family. Ayushmaan Khurrana and Sharvari are playing the main leads. The shoot of the film will begin in November 2025. Virat Kohli's sister Bhawna rubbishes rumors of rift with him and Anushka Sharma, gives befitting reply Bhawna Kohli, sister of cricketer Virat Kohli, schooled a troll for questioning her bond with her brother and sister-in-law Anushka Sharma. When Bhawna shared a special post for celebrating RCB's win at IPL 2025, a user commented, 'Why does he never mention you in any speech or like your post? Not even Anushkha does, lol.' She gave a befitting reply and said, 'May god give you the patience to understand love can exist in many ways, which is not necessarily shown to the world, but it's still there, like the love for almighty. Hope you have enough love in your life, no insecurities, only true bonds which don't need any validation. God bless you.' Vivek Oberoi joins the mega-ensemble cast of Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana Vivek Oberoi is all set to play the role of Vidyutjiva in Ranbir Kapoor and Yash starrer Ramayana. The actor is expected to have a battleground clash with Yash, who will be seen playing the role of Ravana. For the unversed, Vidyutjiva is a demon prince from the daitya clan and the husband of Shurpanakha, who is being played by Rakul Preet Singh. Bhagyashree's husband finally proposed her after 35 years It's been more than 30 years since the marriage of Bhagyashree and Himalay Dassani. However, the Maine Pyaar Kiya actress revealed that her husband never really proposed to her. In a surprising move, Himalay went on his knees and shared his feeling for his beloved wife. Housefull 5 releases in cinemas, set to make a good start Bollywood's one of the biggest bets of 2025, Housefull 5 hits the cinemas. The movie is released in two versions- Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B, with different climaxes and killers. Starring Akshay Kumar in the lead, the mega-ensemble comedy caper is expected to have a good start at the box office.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
19 minutes ago
- First Post
'Hope this doesn't stop players and fans': Michael Clarke counters Gautam Gambhir's call to avoid roadshows
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has reacted to the tragic Bengaluru stampede during RCB's IPL 2025 victory celebrations, saying fans should not be kept away from celebrations. His remarks are in contrast to Gautam Gambhir's call for avoiding roadshows. read more Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has reacted to the tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru, which led to 11 deaths and many injuries. Clarke said that fans are the heart of every sport and they should not be kept away from celebrations. He was talking about the stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium after Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations. Clarke's comment comes a day after Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir criticised RCB's victory celebrations, saying that he was never in favour of roadshows. Speaking at the team's pre-departure press conference before leaving for England, Gambhir said the celebrations should have been held behind closed doors or inside a stadium, adding that the lives of people are far important. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Michael Clarke reacts to Bengaluru stampede However, Clarke has made a contrasting statement without naming Gambhir, as he believes that no team should be stopped from celebrating with their fans because they are the ones who make the sport worth playing. Speaking on his Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, he also mentioned how deeply Indian players, including Virat Kohli, care for their fans. 'Very true. I think the fans make every game and every competition. The fans in India are phenomenal. I love how every game is packed — even the players know what they're playing for. You listen to Virat and so many others; they love their team, and you want the fans to be a part of it. You want them to celebrate,' Clarke said. 'For RCB, it's devastating to see anybody get injured or, even worse, pass away. It's absolutely heartbreaking. Hopefully, we never see something like this again. I think players should be able to celebrate with fans. Even if it's just packing the stadium and letting the players do a lap of honour at their home ground — something like that. Whatever it is, I hope this doesn't stop players and fans from celebrating together, because the fans truly deserve it,' he added. He ended by sending his condolences to the families of the victims, who were injured or lost their lives in the tragic incident. 'But you never, ever want to see someone get hurt, injured, or worse. My thoughts are with all the families. It's devastating news,' said Clarke, who was part of the commentary team for IPL 2025 final between RCB and Punjab Kings. Who is to blame? Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has suspended the police commissioner and an FIR has been filed against RCB, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and DNA Entertainment, the company responsible for managing the event. The KSCA has shifted the blame to RCB and DNA Entertainment, saying that gate management was their responsibility and the state body only sought government permissions.
