Kohli waited just 18 years, but Tendulkar’s wait was even longer: Virender Sehwag

As fans and pundits continue to celebrate Kohli’s first IPL victory, Virender Sehwag likened his lengthy wait to that of Sachin Tendulkar, pointing out that the former India batsman had to wait even longer to realise his dream of winning the ODI World Cup. Tendulkar made his debut for his country, participated in five ODI World Cups, and won on just his sixth and last try in 2011.

On Tuesday, June 3, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, ending their 18-year quest for an elusive first Indian Premier League (IPL) championship. After the victory, RCB’s talismanic batsman Virat Kohli was on his haunches because he had endured all of the team’s defeats since the beginning.

It took him (Kohli) just eighteen years to win the trophy.

In 1989, Sachin Tendulkar waited until 2011. Thus, even though Kohli waited for less, Sachin never gave up. Sehwag told Cricbuzz, “He had already decided that he would only leave with a World Cup trophy in his hand.”

The same is true for Virat Kohli. He can now rest easy. He is free to quit playing in the IPL whenever he so chooses. To win the trophy, a player must compete. Winning prizes is difficult, yet money comes and goes. Additionally, Kohli has contributed significantly to their campaign even after his wait ended,” the former India opener continued.

The 36-year-old Kohli finished third overall and as RCB’s top run scorer in the 2025 IPL. He amassed 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71 and an average of 54.75 in 15 games. The Rajat Patidar-led team finished at 190/9 after he led the RCB in scoring with a 35-ball 43 in the first innings. Punjab was only able to muster 184/7 in response, despite Shashank Singh’s heroic 61 not out off 30 balls. Krunal Pandya took two wickets for 17 runs in his four overs, earning him the Player of the Match title.