Ex-RCB Owner Vijay Mallya Recalls Signing Young Virat Kohli At The IPL 2008 Auction (WATCH)

The first and former owner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Vijay Mallya, recalled his franchise signing young Virat Kohli at the IPL 2008 Auction. Kohli has been part of the RCB since the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League in 2008.

Over the last several years, Virat Kohli has emerged as a face and stalwart of the franchise, leading them for a decade, including captaining the side to their third IPL final in 2016, when they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kohli's loyalty to the franchise was eventually paid off when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched their maiden IPL triumph, when they defeated Punjab Kings in the recently concluded final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

Virat Kohli, who began his IPL journey with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2008, eventually fulfilled his long dream of lifting the coveted trophy after 18 long years.

Mallya trusted his inner instinct to sign Kohli

Speaking on Raj Shamani's podcast, Vijay Mallya, who his living in the United Kingdom in his self-imposed exile, recalled buying 18-year-old Virat Kohli at the IPL 2008 Auction. Mallya stated that it was the 'biggest pride' in spotting Kohli, adding it was a dream to bring the IPL trophy to Bengaluru.

“I handpicked players who could make RCB a powerhouse. My biggest pride was spotting Virat Kohli, a youngster from the Under-19 World Cup team. My inner instinct told me he was special, and I bid for him. Getting Rahul Dravid as our icon player was a no-brainer-he was Bangalore's pride.” Mallya said.

“We also brought in global stars like Jacques Kallis, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan. I wanted a mix of local heroes and international flair. My dream was to bring the IPL trophy to Bangalore, and I built the team with that goal.

"Shortly before the actual selection process, they were playing the U-19 World Cup, and I was very impressed with him. So, I picked him, and it's wonderful. 18 years later, he is still there. He was a young kid at that time when I got him, but you know, full of energy, great talent, and you know, one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever," he added.

Virat Kohli was one of the in-demand players from the U19 draft at the IPL 2008 Auction as he had just led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup that year and was the second highest run-scorer for the team, amassing 235 runs, including a century, at an average of 47.00 in six matches.

Kohli was supposed to be picked by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) after he was identified as one of the three local players to be signed before the BCCI introduced a draft system for the U19 World Cup-winning squad. At the IPL Auction, Delhi went for Pradeep Sangwan and left out Kohli, allowing Royal Challengers Bengaluru to pick him up for INR 12 lakh.

Vijay Mallya on party culture in RCB

During Vijay Mallya's time as the owner of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, one of the most talked-about aspects of the franchise, apart from their on-field performances, was their lavish party culture.

Speaking of the party culture, Mallya stated that he wanted RCB to be more than a cricket team, adding that it was a deliberate attempt to add glamour to his team.

“I wanted RCB to be more than a cricket team. It was about creating a lifestyle brand. The after-parties, the cheerleaders, the fan engagement-it was all deliberate to make RCB the most exciting franchise.” Mallya said.

“Kingfisher and Royal Challenge were sponsors, so we leveraged that to make every match an event. People called it flashy, but it was strategic. Bangalore loved it, and RCB became the city's heartbeat," he added.

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