Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) director of cricket Mo Bobat has paid glowing tribute to Virat Kohli, calling him the franchise’s eternal icon and hero after nearly two decades of unwavering service in the Indian Premier League.
Kohli, who has represented RCB for 18 straight seasons, has become synonymous with the franchise. From electrifying knocks at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the sea of red that rises in unison every time he walks out to bat, his journey mirrors that of the team itself.
“Virat Kohli, obviously, I think he’ll forever be the icon and the hero of this team. I don’t think that’s going to go away, and he deserves that. His track record is incredible,” Bobat said on the RCB Podcast.
Bobat highlighted Kohli’s staggering consistency as one of the defining pillars of his legacy. As the run-machine closed in on 9,000 IPL runs last season, all of them in RCB colours, the numbers painted a picture of sustained excellence rarely seen in franchise cricket.
“I remember at one point last season seeing his stats when he got to however many runs it was – close to 9,000 runs – 18 years wearing just one shirt. That’s 500 runs a season. It’s actually ridiculous. For seven years or something like that, some players would be happy with a 500-run season. He averages 500 runs a season for 18 years. It’s actually ridiculous. So, you can’t ignore that,” Bobat said.
RCB finally ended their long wait for an IPL title last year, clinching their maiden crown under the leadership of Rajat Patidar. The triumph marked a historic moment for the franchise, which had previously fallen short despite boasting star-studded line-ups.
Bobat revealed that the decision to transition captaincy from Faf du Plessis to Patidar was one of the most carefully considered calls of his career.
“We spent a lot of time thinking about that captaincy decision. I don’t mind saying in my career there aren’t that many decisions that I’ve thought about as long and as deeply as that one. And the thinking started in the season before.
“We were very blessed to have someone like Faf as our captain. Everybody knows what a champion person Faf is. He was still a player doing the business at that stage as well. We could have easily just rolled him over and continued with Faf.
“But sport is pretty ruthless. You’ve got to look at the reality of his age and stage. The big auction gave us a chance to do a bit of a reset. We felt like having an Indian captain was really important. It’s an Indian competition, so having an Indian captain I think is really important.”
Bobat also disclosed that he and head coach Andy Flower had detailed discussions with Kohli in London after the 2024 season regarding the leadership shift.
“Andy and I met him in London not long after the 2024 season and talked about that. He’s always ready to step forward and lead. He doesn’t need a second invitation.
“But we spoke about how this decision is not just about us three as people. It’s about RCB more broadly as a franchise. Its leadership maybe even beyond us. The easy thing would have been to say, ‘Virat, do you mind filling in and doing captaincy?’ But then you’re just kicking a decision down the road. At some point we can’t be dependent on Virat all the time.
“Virat’s a bright guy. He got it really quickly. He said, ‘Let’s think about some of these other individuals. But if you need someone, then obviously I can do it’.”
As RCB prepare for the upcoming season as reigning champions, Bobat made it clear that the mindset within the camp is not about defending a title but about setting new standards.
“We’re not defending champions. We’re not defending anything. We might be current champions, but I don’t want us to have a mindset of us defending anything. We’re attacking. We’re chasing something else. We’re chasing back-to-back wins.”
