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India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
IPL final: Undoubtedly Virat Kohli's night, but RCB mates deserved more spotlight
On Tuesday night at Narendra Modi Stadium, the cameras found one man, and never looked away. The broadcasters told one story, and only it was a moment of profound personal triumph, the kind you might recall from Lionel Messi's long-awaited World Cup victory: years of struggle distilled into one heartfelt and deserved ending. Yet even then, the other side of the story was told. The raw emotion in the heartbroken French camp was captured. We saw Kylian Mbapp, who produced one of the greatest individual performances in a World Cup final, grieve openly. He was IPL 2025 final had all the makings of a classic: raw, unfiltered emotion; towering stakes; two teams, strangers to this stage, chasing a long-elusive crown as part of the infamous 'Holy Trinity'. Before a ball was bowled, we knew history would be made. One team would finally break free. The other would bear a fresh finally ended a trophy drought that haunted one of the IPL's most followed franchises, delivering long-awaited joy to a fiercely loyal fanbase. Punjab Kings, meanwhile, faced the bitter truth of a rare season of promise crumbling at the end — a Project Punjab they can still be proud when the dust settled, the broadcast reduced everything to a single frame, missing the full spectrum of emotions, the reckoning, and the honest faces after the it was Virat Kohli's night, perhaps more than anyone else's. The man who has been RCB's heartbeat through collapse and chaos. When tears welled before the last ball, we felt the weight of a long, bruising this was never just his only looked that gave three interviews, each over 15 minutes long. No complaints — his victory speech was worth the 18-year wait. But again, this was never only his Patidar, RCB's captain on the night, appeared briefly. Blink and you missed him. Shreyas Iyer, Punjab's captain, got a slightly longer slot. The rest of Punjab? Reduced to extras in a star-driven AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, iconic RCB alumni who flew in anticipating the end of a drought, got more screen time than the men who battled those four hours on the on you @StarSportsIndia kaiser (@rakshith_333) June 4, 2025Worse still, Shashank Singh, who played a valiant knock for Punjab, was seen only for a fleeting moment when the cameras panned to find their man in the group of players. We caught a glimpse of Ricky Ponting consoling an uncapped player, but not how Shreyas led his team through heartbreak after exceeding we saw was one side of the story, told by the man who deserved every bit of in the haze of victory, Kohli seemed to sense the stories left CALM: RAJAT PATIDARHe made it a point to speak of Rajat Patidar, a 32-year-old from Madhya Pradesh who stepped out of the shadows of giants and led RCB to glory in his very first season as IPL captain.'I can say that my journey has been an 18-year-long one, playing in the IPL. But it's important to understand that the other players too, most of them are around 30, 32, 33 years old, so it's not like they haven't faced struggles. They've struggled at different levels and risen above that. You already know Rajat's story,' Kohli said, recalling how Patidar came into the team as an injury replacement in 2021 before becoming a mainstay.'So, in the middle of all the emotions, we shouldn't forget that each individual here has had their own journey, has worked hard, and struggled a lot to reach here. Like take Mani Kaaka [team masseuse]. He has been with our team from the very first day, and also with the Indian team. He's been with NCA and here for 17 years. Basu Sir [Strength and Conditioning Coach] has also been here for 17 years. People often don't recognise that. Others have also faced a lot of struggles in life, and their family members worry for them just as much as mine do for me,' he delivered what the RCB greats — Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, even Kohli himself — couldn't. He had, of course, the support of a well-rounded MAN MANAGERSKohli tipped his hat to the team management: Director of Cricket Mo Bobat, head coach Andy Flower, and mentor Dinesh Karthik, for building a squad that was more balanced than ever seeds of that triumph were sown months earlier in the planning rooms. Behind-the-scenes footage showed Karthik and Bobat poring over whiteboards, passionately discussing picks in December. Targets were set, and then secured smartly.'This management, this group of players, has been outstanding, to be honest,' Kohli said.'They've got the right kind of players, match-winners, people who take the game on. In the auction, a lot of people questioned our tactics, but by day two, we were very happy with what we had, and we had a lot of confidence in the strength of this don't want to stand here and talk about myself. There's a lot spoken about me already. This win is for Bangalore and for each and every one of the players, the families, and the whole management as well.'WINNING AT THE AUCTION TABLE Kohli was right. RCB's approach at the mega auction felt... different. They passed on big-name superstars like KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Instead, they bet on Rajat Patidar, who had led Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final. He wasn't the flashy pick. He was the right than chasing headlines, RCB focused on fixing long-standing gaps. The jigsaw was almost complete. This auction was about finding the final splurged Rs 11.5 crore on Phil Salt to partner Kohli at the top, an attacking foil who cleared boundaries at will and allowed Kohli to build innings. Rs 11 crore went to Jitesh Sharma, who flourished as a finisher under Karthik's watch. With a strike rate nearing 200 under pressure, that fee now feels like a came Josh Hazlewood, 'HazleGod' by season's end, whose 22 wickets in 12 games turned matches. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was another inspired pick at Rs 10.75 crore. Dependable as ever, he spinner Krunal Pandya was reborn in RCB colours. Bought for just Rs 5.75 crore, he brought bite, calm, and a champion's edge. "I love winning trophies," he said, after becoming the first player in IPL history to win two Player of the Match awards in gave the bowlers their due.'The bowling group! The way we came back in games – I don't think in RCB's history we've ever done that consistently. If you ask me, this title was won by our bowlers.'A PUNCHLINE THAT DESERVED THE BIG SCREENAndy Flower, the quietly effective serial winner, added his latest trophy to a CV that already had success across England, Pakistan, UAE and Australia. Mo Bobat, in just his second season with RCB, delivered on the promise of change.'I am a bit disappointed that it's a year late. I also want to make it clear that we don't plan on stopping now. This is a new RCB. People have seen we have done some things differently. We have been brave with our decisions. We won't be waiting 18 years for the next one,' Bobat said. Not to a broadcaster. Not from a dais. But in the messy, emotional moments just after the final, caught on camera by RCB's own content creator, Mr. it was here, in the same video, that 'Basu Sir', RCB's long-serving strength coach, nearly broke down in tears: 'It's the most important trophy and my life is made. I can go to my grave peacefully.'We didn't see any of this on the official was a night of unforgettable moments. But many of them, moments of sweat, love, grief and triumph, were left was an opportunity missed. And Kohli seemingly knew it InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
India Today
3 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Project Punjab isn't a failure, but it needs a few tweaks after IPL 2025 heartbreak
When Ricky Ponting took over as the coach of Punjab Kings, one of the things that stood out from his first few words after taking the role was simple. He uttered two words that was ringing across all platforms and pundits. That was 'Project Punjab.'Now, we have seen many teams implement projects with a long-term planning. And to be honest, Punjab weren't a side that used to do it in the previous years. They have had a total of 17 captains in 18 seasons, including Shreyas Iyer and many coaches have also come and gone. But for the first time, you can sense that Punjab are on to something invested money in a big squad with world-class talent, none more than their skipper Shreyas. The man who was bought for a whopping 26.75 Crores repaid it with his batting, captaincy and intent. The backing of young talent by the franchise and Ponting was a treat to watch. However, in the end, the IPL 2025 title wasn't theirs. But that doesn't mean that Project Punjab is a failure. But they need to make some small tweaks to a team that came close to being pressure in the middleWhen you look at where Punjab lost the IPL 2025 final to RCB, it all comes down to how the batters failed to gain momentum after the wickets of Shreyas and Josh Inglis. And that has been something that has happened multiple times. Virender Sehwag, in his analysis on Cricbuzz, said that Punjab need to learn how to handle that pressure of wickets falling and they failed to do it in the like 24, 26, 39, 15 everyone got a start, but no one converted it. Had someone carried it to 60–70 runs, they would've won the match. What Shashank did later—if he had done that earlier, then that slowdown phase in the middle wouldn't have happened. If he had remained not out and someone else was batting from the other end, runs would've kept coming, and there would've been no pressure.""The pressure comes when wickets fall. That's the biggest pressure. Then your hands start shaking—'What if I go for a shot and get out?' That's why they couldn't go for it. Like Nihal Wadhera made 15 runs off 18 balls—if he had scored 26 off those same 18 balls, Punjab would've won the match right there. That's the pressure of a final—the pressure of losing wickets. Under that pressure, those who play well shine, and those who don't, stay where they are.""This was probably their first final; they didn't have that experience. It was the first time they were in such a situation. Reaching this stage in a league game under pressure is one thing, but facing that situation in a final is entirely different. I think that's what was lacking. Even if one of the top three batters had stayed and played deep, I would still say the start wasn't bad," said this is an area they will have to focus on. While they have some big-hitters, someone with flexibility and the skill to get a 400-run season could be what Punjab will need next a bowling leaderApart from Arshdeep Singh, who had 21 wickets, there were no other PBKS bowlers who were in the top 10. This is an issue when you are looking to win the title. Even for Arshdeep, he is still learning the trade and gaining experience when it comes to leading an attack in the Chahal also had a hot and cold season and Punjab lacked a leader, especially once Marco Jansen left for international duty. They will need a pacer or a spinner to come in, who can elevate the bowlers around him and let them go about with their business of taking Hazlewood did that expertly with RCB, as he allowed the rest to reap the rewards of the pressure he created. So, someone of the same mould is what PBKS will needadvertisementAvoiding the second-season syndromeLike players, teams also face the second-season syndrome in the IPL. KKR and SRH were finalist last year and in 2025, they were nowhere close to being in the playoffs. Punjab also knows this well as they went on a dry run of 11 years after reaching the final in this, Punjab need to avoid the fault of staying stagnant and not evolving. They introduced a high-intent approach this season, but it will need some tempering and improvement the next time they come in for the a bit more maturity from their uncapped openers and the middle order could help them going forward. Keeping this in mind, certainly Project Punjab is off to a fine start. Now the thing is all about consistency and being a regular in the playoffs and Shreyas said after the game, the aim is to get the trophy next season. For that to happen, Punjab will need to improve their side, with a few small updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
