Former RCB player and South African icon AB de Villiers, however, recently disclosed that his partner and renowned Indian batsman Virat Kohli advised him not to use the term at all. One of the most well-known IPL chants is “E sala cup namde,” which translates to “this year, the cup will be ours” in Kannada and is chanted by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Despite having one of the most devoted fan following and breaking numerous franchise league records, the Bengaluru-based squad has not won a single title in the last 18 seasons, despite making it to three finals. In a recent appearance on the Star Sports Press Room, the former IPL player discussed why Kohli had banned him from using the term and the reason why RCB had failed to win the championship for eighteen years despite having some of the world’s greatest players.
“To be honest, I said those things the other day, and Virat sent me a direct message saying, ‘Just stop’.
I thus found myself in some problems. To be truthful, though, I’m tired of stating that the trophy will be awarded this season. It’s the IPL, guys, and ten elite teams have a chance to win a World Cup, let alone the IPL. “Winning this tournament is really challenging,” de Villiers remarked.
“Travel, various teams, various tactics, and injuries are just a few of the numerous variables that come into play. Throughout the season, a lot of things change, but the team who can keep up its momentum towards the end of the tournament usually wins. We see the teams that capitalize on their home edge win. Therefore, I’m hoping that this year, the 18th season, will be the one with the 18 on the back. If that occurs, I’ll be there to collect that trophy with Virat,” the Proteas player continued.
With the appointment of Rajat Patidar as their new captain, RCB has begun anew in terms of leadership. After his predecessor, Faf Du Plessis, left to join the Delhi Capitals prior to the 2025 season, the Madhya Pradesh batsman will be the seventh captain to lead this team. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who made his debut with the team in the Champions League in 2009–10, will also be rejoining them for the upcoming season.
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