Ranking RCB's top 5 performers from successful IPL 2025 campaign ft. Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3. Following the triumph, RCB lifted the coveted IPL trophy for the first time, having finished as runners-up on three previous occasions: 2009, 2011, and 2016.

Sent into bat in the final, Bengaluru put up 190-9, courtesy of handy contributions from several batters, even as Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 off 35 balls. In the chase, RCB held PBKS to 184-7 as left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya starred with 2-17, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar also claimed 2-38.

RCB’s 2025 title triumph marked the culmination of a fantastic journey during which they lost only four matches and were dominant away from home. IPL 2025 also saw several players from the Bengaluru camp putting their hands up on different occasions. In the wake of RCB’s IPL 2025 triumph, we rank the franchise’s top five performers.

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#5 Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma scored 261 runs in 11 innings at an excellent strike rate of 176.35. While he did not score a lot of runs, Jitesh came up with a number of impact performances with the willow. The right-hander scored quick-fire 20s against Rajasthan Royals (RR) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the league stage.

In the last league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), RCB needed a win to confirm a top-two slot. The keeper-batter scored a sensational 85* off 33 balls, slamming eight fours and six sixes, as Bengaluru chased 228. Jitesh’s 10-ball 24 in the final was also a defining knock.

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#4 Phil Salt

RCB opener Phil Salt did not have a consistent IPL 2025 campaign with the willow. However, when he got going, he was unstoppable. The England batter hammered 403 runs in 13 innings at an average of 33.58 and a strike rate of 175.98, with four half-centuries to his name.

Salt was the Player of the Match for his 65 off 33 as Bengaluru beat RR by nine wickets in Jaipur. The 28-year-old slammed 62 off 32 in a losing cause against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Lucknow. Salt also contributed 56* off 27 as RCB thumped PBKS in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur.

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#3 Josh Hazlewood

Seasoned pacer Josh Hazlewood had an absolutely sensational IPL 2025 campaign, once again proving his versatility with the ball. Despite missing a couple of games due to injury, the Aussie fast bowler still ended up with 22 scalps in 12 matches at an average of 17.54 and an economy rate of 8.77.

Hitting the right lengths, Hazlewood kept batters in check and was rewarded handsomely. The 34-year-old claimed 3-14 against PBKS in Bengaluru in the league stage. He also picked up 4-33 against RR in a home game and starred with 3-21 in Qualifier 1 against Punjab.

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#2 Krunal Pandya

Left-arm spinner Krunal was consistent with the ball and delivered a match-winning spell in the final. He used all his experience and guile to become one of RCB’s most potent weapons in IPL 2025. In 15 innings, he claimed 17 wickets at an average of 22.29 and an economy rate of 8.23.

The 34-year-old claimed 4-45 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium even as Bengaluru lost the game. Krunal stifled PBKS with 2-25 in the league clash in Mullanpur and then delivered a match-winning spell against the same team in the grand final. With the bat, he was Player of the Match for his 73* off 45 against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

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#1 Virat Kohli

Kohli had an exceptional IPL 2025 campaign with the bat. He was the rock behind the team’s amazing performance as they ended their long wait to lift the coveted trophy. The 36-year-old holds most of the big batting records in the T20 league. But, the hunger to win the title was evident in his performances yet again.

In 15 innings, he amassed 657 runs at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, with the aid of eight half-centuries, which included a best of 73*. Kohli notched up four half-centuries in consecutive matches and narrowly missed out on a fifth. He scored a watchful 43 in the final, which, in hindsight, was a crucial knock.