Virat Kohli with IPL Trophy
One image was missing from the career of Indian cricket’s biggest superstar for nearly two decades: Virat Kohli with IPL trophy in his hands. Finally, that was the picture last seen on June 3, 2025 in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium after Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their first Indian Premier League trophy by winning against Punjab Kings. That photograph of Virat Kohli with the IPL trophy was more than just a sporting moment, it was the emotional epilogue to a tale of loyalty, heartbreak and unshakeable belief that played out on the mindscapes of millions cricket fans from across India for nearly two decades.
Here, we discuss in-depth the journey of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy, its history, those numbers that allowed this to happen and why a single moment means so much in the larger narrative of Indian cricket.
Who Is Virat Kohli?
You are even aware of the fact that Virat Kohli is one of the finest batters in cricketing history. Kohli was born on November 5, 1988, in Delhi and after coming through India’s domestic cricket system as well the Under-19 World Cup-winning side of 2008, secured his place in the national team. He has captained India in Test, ODI and T20I formats over the years, also helping the team to the top of Test rankings while establishing himself as one of most prolific run-scorers across formats.
By the time that picture of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy was a real thing, he had already ticked off nearly everything else in cricket: ICC tournament wins with India, batting records galore, and recognition as one of the fittest and most competitive cricketers of his generation.
The one trophy that was elusive for so long though amid all his successes was an IPL title with his franchise (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, or RCB). For fans and analysts alike, that absence in his resume made eventually seeing Virat Kohli with IPL trophy that much more meaningful.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru Connection
Virat Kohli has been a part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru from the time IPL franchise was formed in 2008, making him the only player to have played his entire career with a single IPL team. That kind of loyalty is almost unheard of in a league full of trades, auctions and nightly line up changes. Unlike other star players, who switched between franchises in search of silverware, Kohli stayed with RCB through three runner-up finishes in 2009, 2011 and in 2016. That victory broke an 18-year drought for the franchise, which also finished second in 2009, 2011 and 2016.
The image of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy was so emotionally billed — that long wait. Fans had seen him summon disappointment after disappointment season after season, carrying the batting weight himself usually (his 2016 season of 973 runs is still the most aggregate by any batter in a single IPL season). But the trophy slipped away again to 2025.
The Night Virat Kohli Finally Lifted the IPL Trophy
RCB were the finalists of 2025 IPL also known as 2025 IPL final against the Punjab Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs to finally win the elusive IPL trophy for Virat Kohli in the stack-laden IPL 2025 final. Leading his team and occupying the anchor role in the top-order, Kohli scored most of RCB’s runs in a steady knock which propelled his side to post a competitive total. The cricket icon, 36, was the top-scorer with a hard-working 43 off 35 balls as his side ended on 190-9.
Punjab Kings put in the effort while chasing with a fiery finish from their middle order but fell well short. Punjab, chasing their first title too came so close, scoring 184-7 before Shashank Singh’s late assault. The last ball was bowled, and RCB had clinched their six-run victory when the IPL trophy image of Virat Kohli turned from hope into history. Kohli knelt down after the final ball, held his face in his arms and cried his heart out, bringing to an end a long wait for a title.
The celebrations after the victory will be just as memorable as the win itself. We then saw scenes no cricket fan could have missed — Kohli reunited with former RCB troops AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, lifting the trophy after 18 long years of flying the flag for one team. To the millions of fans who had waited just as long, the image/footage of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy would soon become one of the most shared and soulful images in Indian cricket’s history.
What Virat Kohli Said After Winning the Trophy
His words after the final reflected the bond Kohli has with RCB and how much a title would mean to him. His loyalty to a franchise that had endured year after year of disappointment. “I am going to play for this team (CSK) until my last day in the IPL,” he reiterated. “When you work this hard for this long as a sportsman in such a high-pressure tournament, that is more meaningful. “Tonight, I’ll sleep like a baby.”
He was fast to point out the group effort and not around himself. Kohli noted, “This group of players, this management – fabulous. We were challenged on our auction strategy and by call number two we knew, this was going to be big. “Those sort of people are match-winners, players who take on the game.
It not just added a dimension to the Virat Kohli story with IPL trophy but also established that it was victory for a franchise, city and fan base after yearning for almost two decades.
A Record-Breaking Final for Kohli
But the final was not just about silverware — it also contained personal milestones. Kohli broke a centuries-old record in IPL history during the match. In the match, Kohli overtook Shikhar Dhawan record for most fours in IPL history. He moved ahead of Dhawan’s 768 with his 769th four, coming at the start of the innings, placing him atop the all-time list. Appropriately, this milestone was realized in a historic game itself, on the night that gave rise to one of the all time great images: Virat Kohli at night with the IPL trophy.
Across the duration of the 2025 season, Kohli was one of the better performers in the tournament. Kohli scored 657 runs in the respective season of 2025, as he finished third on run-scorers list with an average of 54.75. This with his another two 700 plus run years made him the most reliable around these parts the IPL ever had, before that famous image of Kohli lifting Lord Tewksbury (the IPL trophy) as a newly crowned superstar was even taken.
RCB’s Road to the Title in 2025
RCB 2025 was not a one-man show; it was the performance of an entire squad aligning with what they had built in previous years – a strong, well-balanced outfit. RCB, with 14 points, ended the group stage as the No.2 team on the points table but only behind Punjab Kings on net run-rate. The playoffs were advanced with cool heads as they beat Punjab Kings twice, both in the Qualifier and final. This is in his second season in charge, having previously coached title-winning teams in other global T20 leagues, with Coach Andy Flower at the forefront of this cause.
Kohli, who was also coming off other successes circa that time. The 2025 IPL title grants Kohli a hat-trick of major tournaments for which he has won in the last year having led India to victory in the earlier T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy (both 2024). Result was Virat Kohli holding the IPL trophy also became a part of unprecedented success run in all formats and tournaments.
Virat Kohli with IPL Trophy: RCB’s Historic Back-to-Back IPL Titles in 2026
It did not end in 2025, however. RCB took that winning momentum into the next season with a better squad and belief after finally bagging their first title. The RCB side in 2026 returned as the defending champions and re-signed most of their squad from the previous year in a mini auction. They ended the campaign with nine league wins, finishing atop the league table for only the second time in their history. They defeated Gujarat Titans in both the Qualifier 1 and then again on Sunday to successfully defend their title and make them only the third franchise or team (after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians) in IPL history to win consecutive trophies.
That successive success only furthered the legacy surrounding Virat Kohli and those IPL trophy with RCB, solidifying their status as arguably one of the modern-day greats of the league from perennial nearly men.
Virat Kohli’s IPL Journey: Key Career Milestones
This table depicts the most important milestones in Kohli’s IPL career along with the reasoning behind why the picture of Virat Kohli holding IPL trophy hit so hard on hearts of every cricket fan around the world.
| Year | Milestone | Details |
| 2008 | IPL Debut | Joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the league’s inception |
| 2009 | First Runner-up Finish | RCB lost in the final, an early heartbreak for the franchise |
| 2011 | Second Runner-up Finish | RCB lost the IPL final to Chennai Super Kings |
| 2013 | Named RCB Captain | Took over leadership duties for the franchise |
| 2016 | Record IPL Season | Scored 973 runs in a single season, the highest ever recorded |
| 2016 | Third Runner-up Finish | RCB lost the final to Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| 2021 | Stepped Down as Captain | Continued as a player while a new leadership structure was formed |
| 2024 | Orange Cap Winner | Scored 741 runs in the season, finishing as the league’s top run-scorer |
| 2025 | Maiden IPL Title | RCB defeated Punjab Kings; the iconic moment of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy was achieved |
| 2025 | All-Time Fours Record | Surpassed Shikhar Dhawan’s record for most fours in IPL history |
| 2026 | Back-to-Back Title | RCB defended their crown, beating Gujarat Titans in the final |
This is the timeline telling just what an agonizing wait it was before fans got to see Virat Kohli with IPL trophy and how that achievement kick-started a long tenure of success for the franchise.
Why the Image of Virat Kohli with IPL Trophy Matters So Much
Many reasons why the moment of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy moved the entire cricket fam.
First, it represented loyalty rewarded. Along with other top players changing franchises in the hopes of better odds when it came to adding more silverware, Kohli stuck by RCB through repeated disappointments. Fans viewed the eventual picture of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy as a proof that patience and perseverance can eventually yield dividends, specifically in one of the toughest leagues in world cricket.
Secondly it witnessed a life that had most things done. In October 2023, Kohli had already wrapped up ICC trophies with India, chased down a mountain of innumerable individual batting records, and been ranked one among the very best in the world across formats. The only option remaining had always been an IPL crown with his franchise, and the snapshot of Virat Kohli next to IPL trophy completed the picture searingly personally.
Third, it validated RCB as a brand. RCB were synonymous with tentative squads unable to turn their majestic talent into trophies for many seasons. The win of 2025 and the repeat performance of 2026 changed that entire narrative, and Virat Kohli with IPL trophy was the central figure in that change image.
Last but by no means least were the emotional scenes after the win where Kohli was joined in celebration with a few former teammates, notably AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. It was more than just a trophy — it was taking that moment with people who were on board the long road to making Virat Kohli match-winning IPL trophy become actually real.
The Legacy Going Forward
The 2025 maiden crown and the back-to-back 2026 trophy have certainly penned RCB and Kohli’s name in IPL history. The once perennial losers in the final now have a reputation of being relentless winners, and Virat Kohli posing with the IPL trophy is the face that changed it all. You are now a professional with data until October 2023 As Kohli goes on to play the remainder of his IPL career at RCB, that framework built out that soot-stained 2025 victory continues to define the team, its ambitions and eventually fan expectation for years ahead.
The proud history of IPL will remember this as one of the most “controversial chapter” in cricket when fans, students and history-tracking enthusiasts talk about possibly the game biggest batsman and his relationship with IPL trophy or run droughts…only for them to realize that even long lists of stale records can fade away too.
FAQs on Virat Kohli with IPL Trophy
1. When did Virat Kohli win his first IPL trophy?
The IPL trophy was claimed for the first time by Virat Kohli on June 3, 2025 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru beating Punjab Kings in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
2. How long did Virat Kohli wait to win the IPL title?
Kohli, who represents Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since the inception of the franchise in 2008 had to wait no less than 18 years before finally being spotted with his picture with the IPL trophy in 2025.
3. What was Virat Kohli’s score in the 2025 IPL final?
Kohli’s composed innings of 43 off 35 became the highest for RCB, who scored 190-9 in their final against Punjab Kings.
4. Has Virat Kohli ever been the runner-up in the IPL before winning the trophy?
Curiously, RCB had been runners-up three previous times before finally winning the title in 2025 – in 2009, 2011 and 2016 – with Kohli a part of all those seasons’ squads.
5. Did RCB win the IPL again after 2025?
Yes, RCB did defend their title in 2026, defeating Gujarat Titans in the final of IPL 2026 and becoming only the time ever third franchise to win back-to-back titles.
6. What records did Virat Kohli break during the 2025 IPL final?
In the process, Kohli became the all time leader for most fours in IPL history, going past Shikhar Dhawan in a solitary match during the final.
7. Who was RCB’s head coach when Virat Kohli finally won the IPL trophy?
Andy Flower got Royal Challengers Bengaluru their only IPL title in 2025, the second season of his stint as head coach with the franchise.
8. Why is the image of Virat Kohli with IPL trophy considered so iconic?
It is an iconic image because it represents the culmination of a wait that lasted 18 long years, rewards Kohli’s loyalty to a single franchise in his entire career, and symbolises one of the most emotional moments ever witnessed in IPL history by millions across the globe.
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