NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s emotional breakdown after finally clinching an IPL title spoke volumes, and Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting believes it underlines just how much the tournament means to players, especially those who’ve chased the dream for nearly two decades.Kohli dropped to his knees in tears as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in a dramatic IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, ending an 18-year title drought.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“You could see it in his eyes in that last over — he was shedding a tear. That’s what it means to players, that’s what it means to everyone,” Ponting said in the post-match press conference.“It’s not an easy tournament to win. Chennai have done it a few times, Mumbai too, but that doesn’t make it simple. You’ve got to work incredibly hard, and for someone like Virat, this was long overdue.”
Ponting related Kohli’s reaction to his deep-rooted love for the game and particularly for Test cricket.During the presentation, Kohli had said, “This moment is right up there with the best in my career. But it’s still five levels below playing Test cricket.”
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The RCB talisman also urged young players to respect the traditional format: “If you perform in Tests, you walk into any room in the world and get a handshake of respect. That’s the format that earns you global recognition.”Ponting, echoing the sentiment, said: “I’m probably one of the biggest purists still involved in the game. My first love will always be Test cricket. What Virat said, I completely understand. He’s had a magnificent career, and you can see what moments like this still mean to him.”