"It was meant to be"- Former Australian captain makes big statement on Virat Kohli and RCB finally winning IPL 2025

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has said that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting talisman Virat Kohli was meant to win IPL 2025. The 44-year-old said that Kohli's celebrations after he won the title indicated how much it meant for him to lift the trophy for the first time.

Clarke also said that RCB were the team of the tournament and they were deserved winners of IPL 2025.

"The whole fairytale for Virat Kohli. He wears number 18 on the back of his jersey. It is the 18th year of the IPL. It was just meant to be. Even the celebrations afterwards at the ground to see him on his knees in tears. It shows how big this tournament actually is. He compares it to any achievement he's had in his career and winning the IPL this year was as special a feeling," Clarke said on Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.

"I could not be happier for RCB. For them to finally get the monkey off the back, so they say, but to win their first IPL title, it was just meant to be. They earned the right from the start of the tournament the way they played to be in the final. I know they did not finish first, Punjab Kings finished first, but RCB were the team of this year's IPL," he added.

Michael Clarke feels Rajat Patidar has not got enough credit for RCB's IPL 2025 victory

RCB's decision to appoint Rajat Patidar as captain ahead of IPL 2025 paid off as the 32-year-old led the side to the title in his first year as captain. Clarke felt that Patidar's man management and captaincy were brilliant. He also felt that he had not received the credit that he deserved for captaining the side to the triumph.

"He didn't personally have the best season with the bat. He bats what I think is the hardest position to bat in in T20 cricket- number four. His man management, his captaincy was brilliant. The way he used Krunal Pandya in the final, was brilliant.

"The way he managed to captain the team with the likes of Virat Kohli, such a strong character in his team and allowed Virat to be himself.I think he is another one who has not got enough credit. He deserves so much credit," Clarke said.

RCB won their first IPL title in their fourth final, having lost in the summit clash in 2009, 2011 and 2016.