Nearly two decades into the Indian Premier League, Virat Kohli continues to stand tall as the face of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The franchise’s director of cricket, Mo Bobat, recently paid a heartfelt tribute to the star batter, describing him as the eternal icon and hero of the team after 18 seasons of unwavering commitment.
Kohli has represented RCB since the inaugural IPL season in 2008, building a legacy that few players in franchise cricket can match. From electrifying innings at the packed M Chinnaswamy Stadium to leading the side with unmatched passion, Kohli’s journey has been closely tied to the identity of the Bengaluru franchise.
“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,” MO Bobat said while speaking on the RCB Podcast.
Bobat highlighted Kohli’s remarkable consistency, pointing out that his numbers reflect sustained excellence across nearly two decades in the league.
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“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,” Mo Bobat said. “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.”
RCB finally ended their long wait for an IPL title last year, lifting their maiden trophy under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. The historic triumph marked a turning point for the franchise after years of coming close despite boasting several high-profile players. Bobat revealed that the decision to move the captaincy from Faf du Plessis to Patidar was not taken lightly.
“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,” Mo Bobat said. “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.”
However, Bobat explained that long-term planning played a crucial role in the decision.
“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 revealed that he and head coach Andy Flower held discussions with Kohli in London after the 2024 season about the leadership transition.
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“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,” Mo Bobat said. “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.”
Bobat added that Kohli fully understood the franchise’s long-term vision.
“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 emphasised that the team’s mentality is not about protecting the title but about setting new benchmarks.
“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,” Mo Bobat said. “We’re attacking. We’re chasing something else. We’re chasing back-to-back wins.”
