Sachin Tendulkar paid the most classy tribute to the RCB great as he finally grabbed the Indian Premier League trophy for the first time.
New Delhi: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar showered praise on Virat Kohli after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain finally clinched his first Indian Premier League (IPL) title, ending an emotional 18-year wait.
On Tuesday, June 3, after RCB secured a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad, Tendulkar joined the chorus of congratulatory messages, highlighting the significance of Kohli’s iconic jersey number. “Congratulations to @RCBTweets on their first-ever IPL title. Fitting that jersey no. 18 lifts the trophy in the 18th edition. Well played and well deserved! Well played to @PunjabKingsIPL as well for a well-fought season,” Tendulkar wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The tribute carried special weight as Tendulkar, Kohli’s former India teammate and mentor, referenced the iconic No. 18 jersey worn by the RCB stalwart throughout his IPL journey.
Kohli, 36, has been synonymous with RCB since the IPL’s inception in 2008, consistently delivering top performances but missing out on the coveted trophy, including three final appearances. This season, he led from the front, scoring 657 runs in 15 matches — the highest for his team — culminating in a memorable maiden title win.
In the emotional post-match celebrations, a tearful Kohli reflected on the moment with commentator Matthew Hayden, saying, “This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years. I have given this team my youth, my prime, and my experience. I have tried to win this every season and given everything I have. To finally have this moment come, it is an unbelievable feeling.”
Kohli also paid tribute to former RCB legends Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, inviting them to join the celebrations on the podium — a fitting nod to the contributions of the franchise’s cricketing greats.
With this triumph, Kohli’s long and sometimes painful journey to IPL glory has finally reached a fitting and unforgettable conclusion.
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