It’s funny how fate plays its part. Today, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the toast of IPL 18. But as it turns out, the franchise almost didn’t exist — and even Virat Kohli’s path could have looked very different.
In a candid conversation with Cricbuzz, IPL founder and former chairman Lalit Modi shared some fascinating insights about the league’s early days. And one surprising nugget stood out: Vijay Mallya had originally wanted to buy the Mumbai franchise — not Bangalore.
“There is a lot of controversy about my good friend Vijay Mallya,” Modi began. “He was the first person to come on board for the IPL. He backed the concept blindly, even before seeing a business model.”
Both Mallya and Modi now live in the UK, but their connection to IPL history runs deep.
Mumbai lost by a whisker
Modi revealed that Mallya’s first choice was Mumbai, but fate had other plans.
“His first choice was Mumbai, and he lost it by just $200,000 in the big auction. He then got Bangalore — and rightfully so. It’s his birth city, his home city, where he comes from.”
Modi added with conviction: “RCB is what it is today because of Mallya’s vision back then. Yes, it was his second choice. But for me? It turned out to be the best choice.”
Had another buyer entered the picture, Modi believes RCB’s identity would have been entirely different. But Mallya brought passion and vision — and that helped shape the team.
Kohli’s destiny almost took another turn
And then comes perhaps the most intriguing part of the story. Virat Kohli, the face of RCB and now the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer, was not on everyone’s radar back in those early days.
“You have to understand — Virat was a young player back then. Nobody really knew him. During the uncapped player picks, players from the India A team were available at a fixed price of $10,000.”
Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) had the first pick — and passed on Kohli.
“Vijay Mallya could’ve let him go too. But he had the foresight to pick Virat. Virat made RCB his home. And here we are, 18 years later — Virat and his team have finally conquered the IPL.”
What a story of persistence, loyalty, and vision.
On foreign leagues and Indian players
Modi also took a moment to clarify a misconception that’s been doing the rounds — that Indian players could one day be tempted by foreign T20 leagues, especially with Saudi interest in cricket making headlines.
“There was an article in the Financial Times recently saying Asian economies are racing ahead of Western ones. They’re wrong — except in one area: the IPL. The IPL is ahead of the world in sports, business, and entertainment. That’s a testament to the love Indian fans have for their cricket.”
And for those dreaming of seeing IPL stars in Saudi or English T20 leagues?
“An active IPL or Indian player will only play in the IPL. That’s enshrined in their franchise contracts — most people don’t even know this. You’ll only see them in other leagues if they’re retired from all Indian cricket. It didn’t happen in the past, and it won’t happen in the future.”
The IPL: built on passion
The IPL has grown into a global phenomenon, but at its heart, it remains a celebration of Indian cricket. And it was built by visionaries — and moments of serendipity — just like this story of Mallya, Kohli, and the birth of RCB.
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