Virat Kohli is one of the few players who has been part of every season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is now in its 18th season. The star Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter went down memory lane to recall the moment when he was picked by RCB, and surprisingly not his state association in Delhi.
Kohli recalled the moment when he was still an up and coming cricketer. He was in Malaysia when the IPL Auction took place.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!120682303
“The first year was exciting in terms of unexpected things happening. We hadn’t played a lot of T20 cricket. Secondly, franchise cricket allowed us to play with different players from all over the world—players we looked up to,” he recalled on JioHotstar’s ’18 Calling 18′ show.
“When the auction happened, we were in Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, and we were sold as first-class cricketers, who were limited to Rs 20 lakhs. We went crazy in the corridor—’We got Rs 20 lakhs!’ That was the emotion behind it. Because we didn’t know what to expect—the opening ceremony, the whole experience of meeting great cricketers—it was surreal.”
Reflecting on IPL’s growth over the years, Kohli expressed his amazement at the league’s evolution.
“It’s been a long journey—one that we have seen grow, evolve, and become this amazing spectacle. Honestly, when IPL started, I never thought it could reach a stage like this. But 18 years and rolling, and every year you feel the same excitement, if not more, which is a massive credit to the league, the way it’s organised, the teams, the competitiveness, and the professionalism—top-notch,” he shared.
RCB’s next match is against Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday (May 3). Alongside CSK vs Mumbai Indians, it is one of the most tantalising rivalries in the IPL.
Kohli shared his experiences about the intense rivalry between CSK and RCB, particularly highlighting how traveling CSK fans create an electrifying atmosphere during matches in Bengaluru by securing tickets early and dominating sections of the stadium.
“I would say one team that, historically, I’ve felt we’ve had the most intense games with is Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru,” Kohli stated.
“Because in Chennai, of course, there are Chennai fans—it’s just yellow and CSK fans everywhere. But to play against CSK in Bengaluru is something else, because a lot of Chennai fans come to Bengaluru. CSK fans travel in huge numbers, so they buy tickets very early and take over a section of the stadium,” he explained.
“So, there’s an intense atmosphere inside the stadium in Bengaluru when playing against CSK. And then, obviously, the game also gets very intense and competitive. That environment is the most exciting I’ve been a part of,” Kohli added.
