RCB’s IPL 2025 campaign compared to India’s World Cup-winning run in 2011: ‘No one deserves it more than Virat Kohli’
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has expressed his belief that Virat Kohli, the talisman of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), deserves the IPL 2025 trophy more than anyone. The Rajat Patidar-led team is currently in second place in the league standings with 17 points from 12 matches. RCB, which has yet to win an IPL title, has received a significant boost in their chances of finishing in the top two after Gujarat Titans’ defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
If RCB secure a win against SunRisers Hyderabad at the Ekana on Friday, they could definitely aim for a top-two finish and have two chances to reach the final. Tiwary has likened RCB’s campaign in IPL restricted to the 2011 World Cup victory under MS Dhoni’s leadership. He highlighted how the entire country wanted India to win the title for Sachin Tendulkar and how the sentiment is now the same for Virat Kohli and the IPL.
“With Gujarat Titans losing, RCB now have a very good chance to finish in the top two. It looks like the entire universe is working to help RCB end the trophy drought and win the IPL,” Tiwary said on Cricbuzz. “Virat Kohli deserves this, so many years have gone by. RCB deserves the trophy. With GT losing against Lucknow Super Giants, RCB can finish in the top two. The entire RCB team deserves to win the trophy,” he added.
‘No one deserves it more than Kohli’
Tiwary also advised RCB and captain Rajat Patidar to focus on ensuring Virat Kohli ends his career with an IPL title in his trophy cabinet. Kohli recently announced his Test retirement, having scored 9230 runs. He also ends his career as the best Indian Test captain in terms of victories (40) in the longest format.
Kohli is also dominating the run-scoring charts in IPL 2025, as the right-hander has scored 505 runs in 11 matches at an average of 63.13 and a strike rate of 143.46. The batter is 133 runs away from the Orange Cap holder – Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans.
“But no one deserves it more than Virat Kohli because when in 2011 the Indian team won the World Cup, we all were wishing for it because of Sachin Tendulkar. We all wanted India to win the World Cup because for so many years he serviced Indian cricket,” said Tiwary.
“Similarly, in franchise cricket, the leading run-getters list has been dominated by Kohli; he has been going in every year. RCB need to win the trophy for Virat Kohli. Push for him, he has been a great Indian captain as well. If RCB win this year, it will be a tribute to Virat Kohli,” he added.
The IPL 2025 is scheduled for June 3. Gujarat Titans, RCB, Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians are the four teams that have qualified for the playoffs.