Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally ended their 18-year title drought by winning IPL 2025, and for Virat Kohli, the victory wasn't just about lifting the trophy, it was about sharing it with the two men who built the legacy with him: AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. RCB edged out Punjab Kings in a tense final in Ahmedabad, triggering emotional scenes involving the franchise's greatest-ever trio. Shortly after the match, Kohli spoke to the broadcasters and opened up on what it meant to celebrate this long-awaited moment alongside de Villiers and Gayle, two legends who stood by him through the highs and heartbreaking lows of the past decade. “What he’s done for the franchise has been absolutely tremendous,” Kohli said about de Villiers. Kohli revealed that before the final, he told AB that this trophy would belong to him as much as anyone in the current squad. “I told him that before the game as well—that this one is as much yours as it is ours, and I want you to celebrate with us when we lift that trophy at the end of the night. He’s got the maximum number of Man of the Match awards and he’s been retired for four years now. That tells you the impact he’s had on this team, on this league, for me as a person, our friendship.” The bond between Kohli and de Villiers has defined RCB’s identity over the years, and Kohli made it clear that AB deserved to be part of the team’s biggest moment. “What he means for the people of Bangalore, to this team, to this franchise, is something I cannot describe in words. So I said, he deserves to be on that podium, lifting that cup with all of us tonight.” “We Gave Our Prime Years to This Team”: Kohli’s Message to AB and Gayle Kohli also recalled how emotional the final few balls were not just because RCB were close to winning, but because he saw de Villiers silently standing at the boundary as Hazlewood ran in to bowl the final over. “Oh man, you know what was more special was having you right at the boundary line in the last two overs. And I told him, ‘I’m going to go. It’s too much to take.’ And when Hoff [Hazlewood] bowled that second ball and it didn’t go for six, they needed five sixes. I was gone. I don’t know how I held back the tears for the last three balls of the innings.” Standing beside de Villiers was another RCB icon, Chris Gayle, who wore a red turban and RCB jersey and looked visibly moved as Kohli embraced him. “You know, for me, why it’s so special to share it with these two is because I’ve shared my prime years with them,” Kohli said, looking at Gayle and de Villiers. "And I know how much we tried to win this. We felt we were so close a couple of times—in 2011 and 2016—and we were such a good team. But we could never cross the line.” Kohli admitted the missed chances still sting, but that only made this win even sweeter, especially because it came in the presence of his two closest teammates. “All of us have that hurt because we gave our prime years to this franchise. And we really, really, from the bottom of our heart, wanted to win that title for RCB. I promise you, this feels like ten times more special just because these two are standing next to us.” The connection between RCB fans and their ‘Holy Trinity’: Kohli, AB, and Gayle was always deeper than results, and Kohli acknowledged that legacy. “When they come to Bangalore, it’s not just me. People go absolutely berserk because they appreciate that they’ve given their heart and soul for this team till the time they played here. They deserve it as much as I do… it’s equally theirs too.”