Virat Kohli And The RCB Dream: Vijay Mallya Reveals Inside Story Of IPL's Early Days

The Vijay Mallya podcast by Raj Shamani -- The Rise & Downfall of Kingfisher Airlines, Loans, and RCB -- is buzzing all over the internet. In this four-hour conversation, the former Royal Challengers Bangaluru owner opens up about his journey, including his decision to pick a 19-year-old Virat Kohli for the Indian Premier League team when it all started back in 2008. The rest, as they say, is history.

After 18 years of drought, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally clinched the IPL title in the 2025 season, defeating Punjab Kings in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3. Among the entire fanbase of India’s most followed franchise in the country’s most popular league, the person remembered the most was the team’s first owner -- Vijay Mallya.

Vikay Mallya's IPL Bids

The former owner of United Breweries Group is a wanted fugitive in India. However, in the now-viral podcast circulating across the internet, he shares his side of the story -- explaining how it all began with IPL, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Virat Kohli.

"I was very impressed with the pitch that Lalit Modi made to the BCCI committee about this league. He called me one day and said ok, teams are going to be auctioned. Are you going to buy it? So, I bid from three franchises, and I lost Mumbai by a very small amount of money," Mallya said.

Initially, Mallya wanted to buy the Mumbai Indians and had actually placed bids for three franchises. But it was Mukesh Ambani who eventually secured the MI deal, edging Mallya out by a narrow margin. That's how Mallya ended up buying Royal Challengers Bengaluru for around 600–700 crore INR back in 2008.

The former owner of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines saw the Indian Premier League as a huge transformation in Indian cricket -- and that’s what drew him in. “When I bid for the RCB franchise in 2008, I saw the IPL as a game-changer for Indian cricket,” he said in the now-viral podcast.

Why Was Virat Kohli Picked For RCB's Dream Of Becoming A Powerhouse?

For Vijay Mallya, the vision extended far beyond on-field success. It was the love for cricket that drew him towards the IPL. But, he dreamt of building Royal Challengers Bengaluru into a powerful brand --something that would stand out both on and off the field. And in many ways, that vision came true. Today, RCB is known for having the biggest fanbase in IPL history.

"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. 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," Vijay Mallya said.

One of the biggest reasons behind the massive crowds that follow RCB wherever they go is one man -- Virat Kohli. He joined the team 18 years ago at just 19 years old -- nearly half his life ago -- and has remained loyal ever since. Year after year, even as the team fell short, he embraced the term "loyalty" and came back again every time. Until this year, when it all finally paid off.

Now, the answer to why Virat Kohli was picked by RCB in the first place finally makes sense. In the viral podcast with Raj Shamani, Vijay Mallya revealed the thought process behind signing the teenage prodigy back in 2008.

"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," said the former RCB owner.

At the time, Kohli had just led India to victory in the ICC Under-19 World Cup held in Kuala Lumpur, defeating South Africa by 12 runs via the DLS method. Young Kohli's performance was impressive. However, Mallya said it was his instinct that made the call: "Something told me he was special, and I bid for him."

Mallya also spoke about the RCB team-building strategy: "Getting Rahul Dravid as our icon player was a no-brainer -- he was Bangalore's pride. 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 in mind."

Speaking about Kohli’s early days, the fugitive businessman added, "I was very impressed with him. So, I picked him, and it's wonderful -- 18 years later, he's still there. He was a young kid back then, full of energy, great talent, and now, one of the greatest Indian cricketers ever."

Who is the owner of RCB now?

As of 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is solely owned by United Spirits Limited, a subsidiary of the British beverage giant Diageo.

Originally, the franchise was bought in 2008 by Vijay Mallya through United Spirits and Kingfisher Airlines. However, Mallya left India in 2016 with defaulted loans allegations, and then Diageo took full control of United Spirits and, in turn, the RCB franchise.

Since then, RCB has been professionally managed by United Spirits, which has distanced itself from Mallya-era controversies.