While a player’s on-field performance defines his stature in the game, his off-field behavior showcases his true character, and recently we saw why Virat Kohli is known as the man that he is. As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated the Gujarat Titans to lift their second consecutive IPL trophy, and became the only third team to do so, fans witnessed a heartwarming moment that redefined greatness of Kohli, and how he is admired among fans and followers.
During the trophy-presentation ceremony, when RCB skipper Rajat Patidar was waiting for the team to join him, he insisted that Virat Kohli should come forward and lift the trophy first. However, Kohli being Kohli, didn’t agree and asked Patidar to do the same since he is the captain. While it might have looked very subtle then, fans were quick to notice this, and since then, the video has been re-shared multiple times across social media platforms, including X.
Ee Salanu Cup Namdu: RCB skipper Rajat Patidar to franchise fans after winning IPL for second consecutive season
Following the win, RCB skipper dedicated the IPL 2026 win to the franchise fans and said ‘Ee Salanu Cup Namdu’ which translates into ‘This cup is ours this time as well’. “I think it feels superb. When we came here, lot of memories of last year, the way we played last year. But at the same time, we have to be more in the present and we felt good. I don’t have words to express, but I’m feeling good,” Patidar said.
Speaking about his captain run, he said, “To be honest, I never dreamt of being a captain and lifting a trophy for RCB. I think it was all written and I’m grateful for it. (On the difference between this season and the last season) Obviously, last year there was a lot of pressure because it was the first year of winning the title. This year, we were pretty confident because of the way we played in this tournament and everyone was in a good frame of mind. Slightly more confident as compared to last year and it was good. It was good to see fans coming to every ground wherever we went. It felt like a home ground for us. So overall it was great, great for RCB.”
