Overview

• Vijay Mallya says he drafted Virat Kohli through the U-19 player draft in 2008 after being impressed by Kohli’s U-19 World Cup captaincy.
• Kohli was acquired at a base price of ₹12 lakh and has played 18 seasons for RCB, scoring 8,661 runs to become the IPL’s all-time leading run-getter.
• In the 2025 season, Kohli scored 657 runs in 16 matches, finishing as RCB’s top scorer and helping secure their inaugural IPL crown with a win over Punjab Kings.
• Mallya’s original squad blueprint blended Indian legends like Rahul Dravid with global stars such as Jacques Kallis, Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan to forge a competitive roster.
• A stampede during the post-title celebration in Bengaluru resulted in multiple fatalities, casting a somber note over RCB’s long-awaited triumph.