Kohli's dream fulfilled as Bengaluru win second straight IPL title

Virat Kohli fulfilled a long-held dream by hitting the winning six that secured Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Indian Premier League title retention on Sunday. The star batter remained composed after Bengaluru's five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Kohli, 37, smashed an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, sealing the chase with a powerful shot over the boundary. "I've thought of this moment many times… to be standing there hitting the winning runs. It's a dream day for us," Kohli said.

Having been with the franchise since its inaugural season in 2008 and captaining them for nine years, Kohli emphasized the added significance of winning successive titles. This achievement underscores the team's journey, which included losses in three previous finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016.

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I've thought of this moment many times… to be standing there hitting the winning runs. It's a dream day for us.

Kohli, who now plays only one-day internationals for India, also highlighted his continued evolution in Twenty20 cricket. He finished the season as Bengaluru's top scorer with 675 runs, recording his fastest IPL fifty and bringing his overall tally to 68 half-centuries and nine hundreds. "I just take a lot of pride in getting better and just trying to figure out areas where I can improve," he stated.

He attributed his sustained success to adapting to the demands of modern T20 cricket, which is increasingly driven by a new generation of aggressive batters. Kohli has amassed 9,336 runs in the league, the most in IPL history.

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I just take a lot of pride in getting better and just trying to figure out areas where I can improve.