“My inner instinct told me...” Mallya reveals why he picked Virat Kohli for RCB
“Shortly before the actual selection process, they were playing the U-19 World Cup, and I was very impressed with him. My inner instinct told me he was special, and I bid for him. He was a young kid at that time, but full of energy and great talent. Today, he’s one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever.”
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As Royal Challengers Bangalore lifted their maiden IPL trophy this week, former team owner Vijay Mallya has broken his silence and revealed the story behind picking young Virat Kohli for the franchise back in 2008. In a recent podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani, Mallya revisited the early days of the Indian Premier League and the formation of the RCB squad. Mallya said he had initially bid for three IPL franchises and narrowly lost the Mumbai Indians bid.
He eventually acquired the Bangalore franchise for $112 million, approximately Rs 600–700 crore in 2008, the second-highest bid at the time. “When I bid for the RCB franchise in 2008, I saw the IPL as a game-changer for Indian cricket. My vision was to create a team that embodied the spirit of Bangalore — vibrant, dynamic, glamorous,” said Mallya.
He linked the franchise with Royal Challenge, one of his top-selling liquor brands, to give the team a bold and distinctive identity.
On selecting Virat Kohli, who had just led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup, Mallya recalled, “Shortly before the actual selection process, they were playing the U-19 World Cup, and I was very impressed with him. My inner instinct told me he was special, and I bid for him. He was a young kid at that time, but full of energy and great talent. Today, he’s one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever.”
Kohli has been a part of the RCB setup for 18 years and played a pivotal role in the team’s historic title win in the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad earlier this week. For Mallya, this victory is a long-awaited fulfilment of a dream. “I handpicked players who could make RCB a powerhouse. My biggest pride was spotting Kohli. My dream was to bring the IPL trophy to Bangalore, and I built the team with that goal,” he said.
Alongside Kohli, the original RCB team also featured Rahul Dravid as the icon player, and veterans like Jacques Kallis, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan. “Dravid was a no-brainer as he was Bangalore’s pride. I wanted a mix of local heroes and international flair,” Mallya added.
