Virender Sehwag has drawn a parallel between Virat Kohli's recent IPL triumph and Sachin Tendulkar's prolonged wait for a World Cup victory, offering a unique perspective on Kohli's achievement. Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended their 18-year Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy drought this year, defeating Punjab Kings in a thrilling final.

Sehwag, speaking to Cricbuzz, pointed out that while Kohli's wait for an IPL title spanned 18 years since the league's inception in 2008, Sachin Tendulkar had to wait even longer for his World Cup dream to be realized. Tendulkar made his debut in 1989 but had to wait until 2011 to lift the coveted trophy. Sehwag emphasized that Tendulkar never lost hope during that period, determined to retire with a World Cup trophy in hand.

Kohli has been an integral part of the Bengaluru-based franchise since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008. Despite consistently delivering stellar performances, the IPL trophy eluded him. RCB reached the finals on three occasions (2009, 2011 and 2016) but were unable to cross the final hurdle.

Kohli's contribution to RCB's victory in the IPL 2025 was significant. He amassed 657 runs in 15 innings, averaging 54.75 with a strike rate of 144.71, including eight half-centuries. In the final against Punjab Kings, Kohli top-scored for RCB with 43 runs off 35 balls.

Sehwag believes that Kohli can now feel relieved and has the freedom to retire from the IPL whenever he wishes. He stated that players compete to win trophies, and with the IPL title now secured, Kohli has achieved a major milestone. Sehwag acknowledged that Kohli has made a significant contribution to RCB's campaign.

Kohli himself expressed his emotions after the victory, stating that it was for the fans and the team, and after giving his youth, prime, and experience to the team, he said that he had never thought that the day would come when RCB would win the coveted title.

Sachin Tendulkar's journey to winning the World Cup was also marked by numerous challenges and disappointments. He was a part of six World Cup campaigns before finally tasting success in 2011. He was named the Player of the Tournament in the 2003 World Cup, where India finished as runners-up. Tendulkar has often mentioned that winning the World Cup was the crowning achievement of his career.

While the RCB team and fans celebrated the long-awaited victory, a tragic incident occurred during the victory parade in Bengaluru. A stampede near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in 11 deaths and 47 injuries. Kohli expressed his grief on social media, stating that he was at a loss for words and that the team was deeply anguished by what had unfolded.