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"I Picked Virat" Vijay Mallya Reveals How He Brought Kohli To RCB Before IPL 2008

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Virat Kohli and Vijay Mallya [Source: @indiantweetrian, @AlexSuperTrampQNot/x.com]Virat Kohli and Vijay Mallya [Source: @indiantweetrian, @AlexSuperTrampQNot/x.com]

Sometimes, the biggest moves in cricket happen not on the field, but off it with nothing more than a gut feeling. And that is exactly what happened back in 2008 when Vijay Mallya, then-owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), made one of the boldest picks in IPL history.

Vijay Mallya Reveals How He Handpicked Kohli Before IPL Took Off

No scouts, no stats, no spreadsheets, just instinct. That instinct brought Virat Kohli to RCB. And what a story it has been.

While chatting on a YouTube podcast with Raj Shamani, Mallya revealed why RCB signed Virat Kohli.

“I picked Virat,” he said, recalling the pre-IPL draft that brought U-19 stars into the franchise system. Since the U-19 World Cup 2008 had just wrapped up and Kohli had captained India to victory, his name was fresh in everyone's mind. But Mallya didn’t hesitate.

“There were young cricketers and it was draw by lots. I got to pick and immediately went for Virat,” he added.

Virat Kohli was just a kid back then, full of energy, talent and fire. Little did anyone know that the teenager Mallya picked for INR 12 lakh would end up becoming the face of RCB, the most followed cricketer in the world and now, an IPL champion.

“Shortly before the selection process, they were playing the U19 world cup, and I was very impressed. So I picked him. And 18 years later, he’s still there. He was a young kid that time. Full of energy, great talent and (now) one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever," stated Mallya.

Virat Kohli Finally Wins IPL With RCB After 18 Years

RCB and Kohli have seen it all: choking in finals, memes, near-misses, heartbreaks and record-breaking seasons. Through it all, Kohli never jumped ship. He wore the RCB badge like a second skin. Even when titles didn’t come, he stayed loyal to the soil.

Finally, that loyalty was rewarded. RCB beat Punjab Kings by 6 runs in the IPL 2025 final. Kohli held the trophy aloft and the entire cricketing world felt the emotion.