After Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy, the atmosphere inside the dressing room was electric, emotional, and unforgettable. Mo Bobat, the Director of Cricket, delivered a raw, heartfelt, and stirring speech that not only celebrated the historic win but also set the tone for future success.
He began by acknowledging everyone’s contributions—not just the playing XI but the entire RCB ecosystem. “Everybody in this room, well done. We should be incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, and when I say everybody, I mean those who played, those who haven’t played, every member of staff, content team, everybody. It’s a real team effort, so well done.”
Recognising the weight of the moment, Bobat added: “I think the magnitude of what we’ve achieved will hit us in the next few days. When we see Bangalore go crazy tomorrow, I think it will hit us. I said to a few people earlier, this is without question one of the most anticipated trophies in world sport—when we think about what our fans have gone through.”
He didn’t shy away from highlighting Kohli’s long journey: “When we think about what Virat’s gone through for all those years… This is a hugely anticipated trophy, and the magnitude of that will hit us. When I think about what we’ve gone through this season, one word comes to mind—‘special’.”
“ ”, says Director of Cricket Mo Bobat as he delivers the THANK YOU speech in the dressing room after our trophy winning campaign. pic.twitter.com/wvJ8etGVGO
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 4, 2025
“You guys committed to that fully and showcased your strengths.” – Mo Bobat
On the unity and environment in the squad, he said: “The environment that we created, even in our tougher times—really special. That’s what gives you these sorts of results. I’ve always felt that environment and culture get you through tight games. That’s why we’ve had one over everybody else: proper team effort, everybody contributing—even today, no different. That batting innings, everybody contributing; with the ball, people crawling themselves back in again. Another special thing we ticked off—something that other teams haven’t done before.”
Reflecting on the season’s hurdles, Bobat stressed resilience: “Getting top two, finishing the job off—so much to be proud of. Think about the disruption when everybody went home, the restart, injuries… all of that challenged us, and we came through. But the most special thing is that we finally got that trophy—and nobody can take it away from us.”
In one of the speech’s most heartfelt moments, he said: “In the years to come—could be tomorrow, weeks, months, years—when you see somebody from this room again, all it takes is a look in the eye, a little nod, and you’ll know. You’ll know this night, this season—we shared that time together. That’s really, really special. That’s what sport is all about. That’s what winning this trophy is all about.”
He thanked everyone across roles, from the playing squad to the support staff: “I want to thank all the players—those who played and those who didn’t—for committing. Andy and I had a clear picture of how we wanted to play our cricket, and you guys committed to that fully and showcased your strengths. Also, Devon, Abier, Beth, and Lungi—who aren’t here—need to be recognised.”
On key individual contributions, Bobat highlighted Phil Salt’s commitment: “Salty—unbelievable. For you to do what you’ve done in the last few days and to come back and commit to this team—top mate, really appreciate that.” He also appreciated Josh Hazlewood’s commitment: “Hoff, I know you’ve got the World Test Championship and a flight ahead—but thank you.”
“We’ll back it up next year, and do it in front of our own.” – Mo Bobat
He then turned to Kohli and said: “I know you don’t like being singled out, Virat, but I’m going to. Thank you for everything. As a senior player and the icon of this team, Andy and I couldn’t have done what we’ve done over the last year and a half—especially during the tough moments last year—without your contribution. Everything you’ve put in over 18 years… you deserve this more than anyone. So well done.”
On stand-in captain Rajat Patidar, he added with a smile: “Rajat, well done as captain. We didn’t even need to win the toss today!”
He closed by recognising all departments—coaches, science and medicine staff, operations and logistics, and the content team. He gave a special mention to head coach Andy Flower: “Andy, I want to thank you for proving again why you’re the best head coach in the world.”
To conclude, Bobat offered one final message to the entire squad:
“We need to enjoy tonight. You have to massively enjoy tonight. But take the time to look around you and really take in how special this is. And like we’ve done throughout the season, I’m going to ask you to do something—get addicted to this feeling. Because this is just the start.”
“Not many teams have won back-to-back IPLs. It’s happened twice before. Next year, we’ll have the final in Bangalore—and we go again. Get addicted to the feeling tonight. Because that feeling drives the hunger to go again. That addiction to winning, and sharing these moments—will spur us on, drive us on. And we’ll back it up next year, and do it in front of our own.”
For More Exciting Articles: Follow RevSportz