AB de Villiers revealed that he had said the catchphrase “Ee Saala Cup Namde” (This year, the cup will be ours), even though he had promised Kohli that he wouldn’t say it during the season. As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secure their spot in the IPL 2025 final, former star AB de Villiers has revealed that he broke a promise he made to Virat Kohli. De Villiers admitted he ended up saying the famous catchphrase “Ee Saala Cup Namde” (This year, the cup will be ours), despite promising Kohli that he wouldn’t utter it during the season. The phrase has become iconic among RCB fans due to the team’s long-standing struggle to win the IPL title.
AB de Villiers Breaks Promise to Virat Kohli as RCB Marches to IPL 2025 Final
“Yeah, it wasn’t my fault. The guys are rude over here, man. They’re setting traps for me,” de Villiers said during an interview on Star Sports.
AB de Villiers and Kohli shared the RCB dressing room for 11 years, during which the team reached the final twice but fell short, including a narrow loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.
This season, under coach Andy Flower’s leadership and following a strong auction, RCB has found success in IPL 2025.
Mo Bobat, RCB’s Director of Cricket, highlighted that achieving the team’s intended shape, based on the vision developed during last year’s auction, has been the most rewarding part of the season.
“Nobody gets everything they want at an auction. It’s pretty much impossible. But I think we got predominantly what we wanted in terms of playing personnel. AB de Villiers, More importantly, with the actual shape of the team and the vision that Andy and I spent so much time on, we pretty much nailed that,” Bobat said in a video posted by RCB on their YouTube channel.
Bobat also credited head coach Andy Flower’s adjusted approach this season, especially with new captain Rajat Patidar leading the team.
“AB de Villiers really enjoyed watching Andy coach differently this year compared to last. The team has changed, the captain has changed. We share the principle that we want our players to walk onto the field and make their own decisions. To do that, you need to create a decision-rich environment on and off the field.”
“For Andy and me, creating an environment where players feel safe, supported, accountable for their own decisions, and able to showcase their strengths
