‘That’s what it means to everyone’ – Ricky Ponting opens up on Virat Kohli shedding tears after winning his maiden IPL title

Ricky Ponting acknowledged Virat Kohli’s efforts to win his maiden IPL title, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings in the final of the IPL 2025 on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The PBKS head coach felt winning an IPL title means a lot to the players, and Virat was no different, who got emotional as RCB got closer to the winning mark.

Ponting claimed that teams like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have won the IPL title five times. However, he agreed that the IPL is not an easy tournament to win. The Australian claimed it needs a long and hard processed plan to win the title.

“You can see 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. Chennai (Super Kings) have won it a few times, Mumbai (Indians) have won it a few times, but it’s not an easy tournament to win — it is as simple as that — and you have to think long and hard about that. It’s not easy to win this thing,” said Ponting while speaking to the reporters after the IPL 2025 final.

My first love is Test match cricket: Ponting

In the visuals captured when RCB beat PBKS, Ponting was visibly upset himself, as his team came so far only to return home empty-handed. He was asked about Virat still treating Test cricket to be the pinnacle of the game after winning his maiden IPL title.

The Australian understood what Virat meant by IPL being ‘five marks below Test cricket’. He claimed Test cricket to be his first love, be it coaching or commentating.

“I’m probably one of the biggest purists of the game still involved. Whether I’m coaching or commentating, my first love is Test match cricket, always will be. But I totally understand what he means… this is as close as I can get to playing a Test match again,” Ponting added.