Home
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) successful title defence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has earned praise from across the cricketing world, and now even beyond it. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles has lauded Virat Kohli, describing the Indian batting icon as a massive figure in Australia following RCB's triumph.
Marles made the remarks while speaking at the 'Manobal' event on June 1, a day after Kohli played a match-winning knock to help RCB secure their second consecutive IPL title.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Recap: How Indian batters shattered one of the league’s longest-standing myths
Richard Marles heaps praise on Virat Kohli
Speaking about the shared cricketing connection between India and Australia, Marles highlighted Kohli's immense popularity among Australian fans.
"Virat Kohli is a huge name in Australia right now, but as I grew up, the very first Indian cricket captain I remember was Bishan Bedi; they were the great names of that era. Everyone in this room is easily the most well-known person in Australia today. We have shared passions for things like cricket, but we also have shared challenges in the way in which we are going about leading the modern world."
Marles also spoke about the broader relationship between the two nations and expressed his admiration for Indian cricket great Kapil Dev.
"It is quite a thrill for me to be standing next to the great Kapil Dev... The relationship between Australia and India is at a high point... In so many ways, the shared passion that we have for life is embodied in our passion for cricket."
Kohli stars as RCB secure historic IPL 2026 triumph
Kohli once again proved his worth on the biggest stage, remaining unbeaten on 75 off just 42 deliveries in the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Chasing 156 for victory, RCB comfortably reached the target to become only the third franchise in IPL history, after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI), to win back-to-back titles.
Also Read: Big News: RCB title celebrations hit by controversy as star player handed ban after GT final
Marles also pointed out the Australian influence in RCB's championship-winning campaign, particularly through Josh Hazlewood and Tim David.
"When I was here last year, it was the morning after the final of the Indian Premier League, as it is, of course, this morning. Last night, as we saw a year ago, we saw RCB triumph. But I like the fact that Virat Kohli was 75 not out and was man of the match, but alongside him were Josh Hazlewood and Tim David. So there was very much an Australian-Indian bilateral theme at play last night as RCB won the IPL. And that is emblematic, I think, of the relationship between our two countries."
From dominating IPL finals to earning admiration from international leaders, Kohli's remarkable legacy continues to grow with every passing season.
ADVERTISEMENT
