As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prepare to battle for their maiden IPL title in the 2025 final, former South African star and franchise legend AB de Villiers has thrown his full support behind the team. Praising the squad’s balance and Virat Kohli’s leadership, de Villiers expressed high hopes that this could finally be RCB’s year.
Speaking as a JioCinema expert ahead of the IPL final, de Villiers remarked, “I think 2011 was a really good chance to win the title. Everyone talks about the 2016 season, but let’s forget about the past. Where are RCB now? In another final — 2025. It’s closer than you think and smaller than you think. So hopefully those little moments will go in RCB’s favour, come the 3rd of June.”
De Villiers lauded the team’s auction strategy, highlighting that this year’s squad struck the right balance. “It was around the auction time when I felt like RCB really got the balance right this year. It’s not a one-dimensional batting line-up, not a one-dimensional bowling line-up — there are options,” he said.
The South African great emphasized how impressed he was by the way RCB’s squad gelled together over the season. “I just loved the look of that squad when I saw it come out. They found a way to gel together as a unit. As you can see, all the players individually chipped in at times, and that is a sign of a healthy environment.”
On Virat Kohli, de Villiers was full of admiration. “The first time I saw him on the screen for the PBKS vs RCB game, was when he got out of the bus, and I just saw a lot of focus on that guy. That’s the typical kind of body language we’re so used to seeing,” he said.
Despite Kohli not scoring heavily in the last match, de Villiers praised his unwavering commitment to the team. “He didn’t score runs today, but we still saw him right till the end, celebrating with the batters. The ultimate team man, and he looks very, very focused.”
As RCB gear up to face their opponents in the IPL 2025 final on June 3, de Villiers predicted that Kohli would rise to the occasion. “Obviously, the job’s not done yet, but I’m very excited to watch him play. I have no doubt in my mind he’s going to play a big hand in the final,” he said.
With a well-rounded squad and the unwavering support of legends like de Villiers, RCB fans are daring to believe that the long wait for IPL silverware might finally come to an end this Sunday.
