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Virat Kohli waited nearly two decades for his first IPL title. Now? He’s got two. At 37, he’s still working on his game, still hungry, and he just hammered the fastest T20 half-century of his career—right when it mattered most, with the winning runs in RCB’s title run-chase. That unbeaten 75 was the bedrock of RCB’s second IPL title. And Kohli’s face said it all—pure, unapologetic joy, because RCB just steamrolled the competition all season.

“This is what you dream about,” Kohli said right after the match, beaming at the presentation. He couldn’t help adding that hitting the winning run was a moment he’d pictured in his head a thousand times over his career.

But there’s more going on behind his performance. He even gave a little nod to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi—one of those young guns who, somehow, pushed Kohli to tweak his game this season.

When people asked about his 25-ball half-century, Kohli just laughed at first. “Look at these super young players—they’re making me step it up,” he joked. But no one missed the edge in his voice. He meant it. “I had to change my mindset—just attack the bowlers, find those extra runs,” he said. Players like Sooryavanshi forced him to evolve at 37, even when he didn’t have to change his basics. That fire doesn’t burn out easily.

And really, for once, it wasn’t all about Kohli. That’s what pleased him most. During the first 10 games, eight different players took home Man of the Match awards. It’s not all resting on his shoulders anymore. “It’s a relief, honestly,” he admitted. “Feels good knowing I don’t have to be the guy every single time. This season, anyone can step up and win it for us.”

He rattled off names—Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, Duffy, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar—guys who’ve all delivered. He credited the RCB management for putting together a balanced team these last two years. “I feel relaxed when I walk out now. No panic—everyone knows what to do, especially in a chase.”

Kohli also made it clear that this RCB team doesn’t get caught up in rivalries or sledging. “We just wanted to finish top. Didn’t matter what jersey the opposition had on,” he said. “We respect everyone, but we don’t poke anyone. We’re a bunch of mature professionals, and we let our experience show.”

And when the big matches came, Kohli and the other ‘big boys’ knew what to do. “During a chase, I knew they’d come for my wicket. But with this team, we could’ve finished it with a few overs to spare.” He still remembers RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, setting the tone after their first title in 2025: this wasn’t the end—get back-to-back wins. Before this final, Kohli told Venkatesh Iyer, “Let’s kill the game in the powerplay. That’s the plan.” It worked.

He praised the group for being balanced in every department—batting, bowling, and fielding. “It’s just different this year. There wasn’t any of the pressure we felt last season. Topping the table wasn’t an accident, it came from real skill and composure. We stuck to our cricket, executed our plans, and led the competition from start to finish.”

RCB did get tested, especially after a break in the season. They lost once, the match after the break, then scraped out a close win over Mumbai Indians in Raipur. Kohli said that week was tricky—they desperately wanted to finish top. “But after that MI win, the belief just came back. We crushed KKR next, topped the table, and never looked back.”

And about the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium? It might’ve been Gujarat Titans’ home ground, but the crowd belonged to RCB. Kohli couldn’t stop smiling. “Feels like we have 14 home games, not seven. Our fans are incredible—90% of them were on our side, even in Ahmedabad. I’m just grateful. Winning for them—it’s the best feeling.”