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NDTV
6 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Included As AB De Villiers Picks His All-Time IPL XI
Indian Premier League is a tournament that started in 2008. Since its inception, the mega event has produced many star cricketers. The fact that young talents get an opportunity to compete with and against international stars and veteran players makes IPL a crucial part of India's cricketing set-up. One of the IPL legends AB de Villiers, in a podcast recently, picked his all-time XI. The ex-Royal Challengers Bengaluru star picked a total of 7 Indian players and four overseas. In the picked team, de Villiers named himself at the fifth spot. " Rohit Sharma, Matthew Hayden, Virat Kohli at three, Suryakumar Yadav, myself at five, at six let's go Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni seven, Bumrah at eight, Yuzi Chahal nine, Lasith Malinga ten, I'll just throw a little spin in the works, Daniel Vettori at eleven," said de Villiers on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel. AB de Villiers' All-Time IPL XI: Rohit Sharma, Matthew Hayden, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lasith Malinga, Daniel Vettori. De Villiers was part of the South Africa Champions team in the recently-concluded World Champinship of Legends 2025. He played a crucial role in the side lifting its first-ever WCL title. The right-handed batter scored three centuries in the T20 tournament, one of them came in the final. De Villiers shone with his sensational century as South Africa Champions outplayed Pakistan Champions by 9 wickets to clinch their maiden WCL title at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Pakistan Champions captain Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and opted to bat first. Sharjeel Khan scored 76 runs, helping Pakistan post 195 for 5 in the alloted 20 overs. Wayne Parnell (2 for 32) and Hardus Viljoen (2 for 38) picked two wickets apiece for South Africa. In the chase, the Proteas reached home without breaking a sweat, thanks to AB de Villiers' 120 not out off 60 balls. Earlier in the season, de Villiers scored 116 not out against England Champions and then followed it up with 123-run knock vs Australia Champions.
India Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- India Today
How Virat Kohli waited 18 long years for IPL crown
On a sweltering June evening in Ahmedabad, under the bright lights of the Narendra Modi Stadium, Virat Kohli knelt on the outfield, arms aloft, eyes misty with disbelief. After 18 long years, the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy—the one accolade that had eluded him throughout his storied career—was finally Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), a franchise often romanticised but rarely rewarded, had at last crossed the finish line. Their six-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final ended nearly two decades of yearning, heartbreak and ridicule. And for Kohli, it was nothing short of poetic more than a decade, Kohli had been the beating heart of RCB—the emblem stitched into their very soul. He had reached three finals before, each time inching towards glory only to watch it slip like sand through a clenched fist. On this finals night of June 3, deep into the Ahmedabad heat, as the clock crept towards midnight and tension hung thick as monsoon air, Kohli finally touched what had always hovered just beyond reach. He was 36 now—the closing chapters of his cricketing novel already being written—yet when the moment came, he celebrated with the unburdened glee of a boy chasing a dream across a took the final, fateful miss from Punjab Kings' last man standing, Shashank Singh, flailing at the second ball of the last over, to close the book on 18 years of yearning. The wait was long, almost mythic. The release, nothing short of years, Kohli's commitment to RCB was both a badge of honour and a burden. Through lean seasons, painful exits and team overhauls, he stayed—a talisman and a target. Criticism mounted as titles eluded him, but Kohli never left. 'Loyalty is not a burden,' he had once said. 'It's a privilege.' In 2025, that privilege finally yielded its Though no longer captain, Kohli led in spirit. With 657 runs in 15 innings, including eight half-centuries, he finished as the tournament's third-highest run-scorer. He had put in extra effort this season, averaging 54.75 with a strike rate of 144.71, well above his overall IPL figures of 39.54 and a strike rate of 132.85. Match after match, Kohli reminded fans and critics alike that T20 cricket still had room for his brand of classical aggression and mental steel. While he didn't notch a half-century in the decider, his 43 off 35 balls set the tone, punctuated by those vintage cover-drives and urgent final itself was a nerve-shredder. RCB posted 190 for 9, a competitive total shaped by key contributions, with five of the first seven batsmen reaching the twenties, while Phil Salt (16) and Romario Shepherd (17) also chipped the time Josh Hazlewood began the final over, 29 runs lay between RCB and their long-sought prize. In those first two balls, he donned the mantle of executor: two consecutive dot deliveries that, in purely statistical terms, sealed the outcome. Shashank Singh then mustered a late flourish—22 runs from the remaining four balls, including three thunderous sixes—yet they served only to decorate the head bowed, knew the script was written. And as the final ball fell, the stadium detonated in euphoria, unleashing a wave of relief that rippled across a nation of RCB loyalists. At last, the wait was Kohli's emotions spilled over. He embraced teammates, pointed to the heavens, and then sank to the turf—a gesture of relief more than triumph. 'This means everything,' he said. 'Eighteen years—the dedication, the heartbreaks, the relentless hope. This one this is for every RCB fan who never gave up.'Kohli also paid tribute to former teammates AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, the architects of so many RCB dreams in the past. Together, the trio had formed a formidable triumvirate for seven seasons, steering RCB to the final on two occasions and embedding themselves in the team's folklore. In reminiscing about those heady years, Kohli evoked the magic they once conjured—reminders that today's triumph was built upon yesterday's 2024 was the swan song of Kohli's international T20 career—one that he ended on a high, lifting the ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados—then 2025 was the domestic coronation. For a player who has defined modern Indian cricket, this IPL victory completed the circle. It wasn't about the numbers anymore; it was about makes this triumph sweeter is its context. Kohli could have left RCB a dozen times. He could have sought a fresh franchise, a less emotionally charged environment or a title contender. But he stayed. In doing so, he transformed the IPL's definition of success. It was no longer just about trophies—it was about legacy, loyalty and leadership through has never been a mercenary, and his cricket has rarely been opportunistic. Kohli's story is one of front-foot defiance, of putting yourself on the line year after year, even when the world mocks you for it. That is why this title matters more than is also a passing-of-the-torch quality to RCB's win. Youngsters came of age this season, but Kohli was their orbit. They batted around him, drew from his fire and chased with his intensity. And now, they will carry the mantle forward—with a trophy finally in IPL record now reads complete. Over 8,000 runs, countless iconic innings, and the medal he yearned for most. But this is not just a tale of statistics. It is the culmination of grit, belief and love — not just for a game but for a jersey that never left his heart. In the IPL's pantheon, Kohli was always the king without a crown. But on that 2025 finals night in Ahmedabad, under fireworks and flashbulbs, the crown finally came a vignette that speaks volumes about Kohli's imprint on a generation, lockdown confinement prompted Usha Bharadwaj—once a state-level volleyball player, now a strength and conditioning coach—to curb her son's wayward attention. She tapped into the digital vault and played him clips of Kohli's feral focus in the nets: the laser-sharp eye contact, the coiled power in each stroke, the aura of unyielding purpose. Those flickering images lit a years on, in 2025, as Kohli at last hoisted the IPL trophy, Usha's son, Sai Sudharsan, claimed cricket's Orange Cap as the tournament's top run-scorer—proof that Kohli's intensity was not mere spectacle but a blueprint. In that same season, Sudharsan earned his maiden Test call-up, stepping onto the stage Kohli had long graced—ironically, the great man himself retired from Test cricket that very year. Thus, Kohli's legacy passed like a baton: from idol to coach's montage to pupil, weaving a lineage of aspiration in Indian to India Today MagazineTrending Reel
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Virat Kohli enjoys overseas lads who ...': Jacob Bethell jokes about 'too-soft' IPL beds during RCB stint
Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli Fresh from the high-paced world of the IPL and straight into a Player-of-the-Match performance at Edgbaston, Jacob Bethell's rise in international cricket continues at speed. But the 21-year-old all-rounder's only light-hearted gripe about his jet-setting lifestyle? Hotel beds. "A lot of them are way too soft," Bethell quipped after smashing a blistering 82 in England's dominant 238-run win over the West Indies in the first ODI. "I've got a bad back and I'm only 21, so we need to sort that out. I might have to walk around with some memory foam. But no, I'm enjoying it." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Despite missing England's recent Test series against Zimbabwe to warm the bench at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bethell insists the experience was far from wasted. He soaked up knowledge in the nets and watched closely as cricketing icon Virat Kohli went about his business. Who's that IPL player? "I definitely feel like I got a lot better," said Bethell. "Even though I only played two games, the training was intense — facing quality net bowlers and spinners every day. The way those guys think about playing spin — clinical and calculated — it was eye-opening." Josh Hazlewood - we picked up momentum from Jitesh's knock in Lucknow And then there was Kohli. "He's got whatever you call it these days — 'aura'. It's electrifying walking out with him. He's intense, but chilled off the field. I think he enjoys the overseas lads who don't fuss around him much," he added.
Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Virat Kohli revealed his post-retirement plans includes ‘a lot of travel' with Anushka Sharma, couple flies out of Mumbai after his retirement announcement
Cricketer Virat Kohli and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma were spotted at the Mumbai airport just minutes after the cricketer announced his retirement from Test cricket on Instagram. On Monday, Virat had shared an emotional post on Instagram, announcing his retirement from Test cricket after a 14-year-long journey, giving his best to the format. While Anushka hasn't reacted to Virat's announcement on social media yet, she was seen accompanying the cricketer as they left Mumbai. At the airport, the couple was seen in their casual best. Virat wore a white t-shirt paired with beige trousers, while Anushka opted for a multicoloured striped shirt, denim jeans, and sunglasses. Recently, Virat had opened up about his plans post-retirement and how he would like to travel with Anushka. Speaking at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Innovation Lab Summit, he said, 'I actually don't know what I will be doing post-retirement. Recently, I asked a teammate the same question and got the same reply. Yeah, but maybe a lot of traveling.' Earlier, there had been much chatter about Virat and Anushka permanently moving to London, especially after they spent considerable time in the city following the birth of their son, Akaay. Recently, Madhuri Dixit's husband, Dr. Sriram Nene, spoke about his conversation with Anushka regarding the possibility of the cricketer and his family relocating to London. He said, 'I have a lot of respect (for him). We've met him multiple times; he's just a decent human being.' Dr. Nene continued, 'I'll tell you something, and this is what you learn, they all put their pants on one leg at a time. We had a conversation with Anushka one day, and it was very interesting. They were thinking about moving to London because they can't enjoy their success (here). And we appreciate what they go through, because anything they do attracts attention. We almost become isolated.' A post shared by Virat Kohli (@ In his Instagram post, Virat called his decision to retire from Test cricket 'not easy.' He wrote, 'It's been 14 years since I first wore the baggy blue in Test cricket. Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It's tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I'll carry for life. There's something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever,' he wrote. 'As I step away from this format, it's not easy – but it feels right. I've given it everything I had, and it's given me back so much more than I could've hoped for. I'm walking away with a heart full of gratitude – for the game, for the people I shared the field with, and for every single person who made me feel seen along the way. I'LL ALWAYS LOOK BACK AT MY TEST CAREER WITH A SMILE. '#269, signing off,' he concluded.
Mint
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Most talked about Indian personalities in April 2025: MS Dhoni leaves behind Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma; check who's no.1
MS Dhoni left behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the list Most talked about Indian personalities for April 2025 among the sportspersons. Currently leading Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (CSK), Dhoni has been the talk of the town in April for several reasons. The rankings are being done by TweetBlinderX. With a buzz always around him regarding his IPL future, Dhoni was brought back as the CSK captain midway into IPL 2025, after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament with an elbow injury. Dhoni had left CSK captaincy before the start of IPL 2024. To add to that, Dhoni himself opened up on his IPL future on a couple of occasions last month, thus making him the most talked about Indian personality among the sportspersons. While Dhoni was placed second in the overall list, Kohli and Rohit take third and fourth spots respectively. Kohli is currently topping the charts for IPL 2025 Orange Cap with 505 runs for royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rohit is playing for Mumbai Indians. Notably, Dhoni and Kohli took the top two positions in the overall list while Rohit held the fourth spot in March. Kohli is currently topping the charts for IPL 2025 Orange Cap with 505 runs for royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rohit is playing for Mumbai Indians. Notably, Dhoni and Kohli took the top two positions in the overall list while Rohit held the fourth spot in March. Prime Minister Narendra Modi topped the list while Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were placed sixth and seventh respectively. Actors Allu Arjun (5th), Pawan Kalyan (8th), Vijay (9th) and Akshay Kumar (10th) complete the top 10. TweetBlinderX is a hashtag analytics platform of X (formerly Twitter). It uses the hashtags to track the popularity of the known personalities globally on X. Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap. First Published: 6 May 2025, 04:25 PM IST
