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'Stop Saying...': AB de Villiers Reveals Why Virat Kohli Told Him Not To Utter 'Ee Sala Cup Namde'

Rajgeeta Yadav

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers [Source: @imkevin149/X.com]Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers [Source: @imkevin149/X.com]

South Africa legend AB de Villiers recently shared an interesting story about his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate, Virat Kohli. He revealed that Kohli personally messaged him, asking him not to say the famous RCB slogan, ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’, in public anymore.

The slogan, which means "This year, the cup will be ours" in Kannada, has been a rallying cry for RCB fans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for years. Despite the team’s massive fan following and record-breaking performances, RCB have never won an IPL title in the last 18 seasons.

Why Did Virat Kohli Stop de Villiers?

Speaking on Star Sports Press Room, de Villiers explained that Kohli was serious about him not using the phrase anymore.

"I said those words the other day, and I got a direct message from Virat telling me to stop saying it. I got into a bit of trouble for that. To be honest, even I’m tired of saying it every year that RCB will win the trophy."

He also revealed how difficult it is to win the IPL, comparing it to even winning a World Cup.

"The IPL has 10 world-class teams, and every season is unpredictable. Factors like traveling, different team strategies, and injuries play a huge role. The team that manages their energy well till the end usually comes out on top. The teams that make the most of their home conditions also have an advantage."

Despite this, de Villiers remains hopeful for RCB. He added, "I really hope this is the year. If RCB wins, I will be there to lift the trophy with Virat!"

For the upcoming IPL season, RCB have made a major change in leadership. Rajat Patidar has been named the new captain, making him the eighth player to lead the franchise. He takes over from Faf du Plessis, who has moved to Delhi Capitals for the 2025 season.

With a fresh start and new leadership, RCB fans will be hoping that this might finally be the year they lift the IPL trophy.