Sat May 03 13:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Kohli Recalls Humble IPL Beginnings: From Rs 20 Lakh Deal to League Icon

**Bengaluru, India** – Virat Kohli, the face of the Indian Premier League (IPL), reminisced about his surprisingly humble beginnings in the league, revealing the sheer excitement of his initial Rs 20 lakh ($24,000 USD) contract in 2008. Speaking on the occasion of the IPL’s 18th year, Kohli described the moment he and his teammates learned of their earnings as “surreal,” celebrating wildly in a Kuala Lumpur hotel corridor.

Fresh off a U-19 World Cup victory, Kohli had no idea of the scale the IPL would reach. He highlighted the initial excitement of playing alongside international idols and the impact of franchise cricket on the growth of T20. Even Kohli himself admits he couldn’t have predicted the league’s meteoric rise to its current status as a global spectacle. He lauded the league’s organization, competitiveness, and professionalism as key to its continued success.

While Kohli has enjoyed many memorable moments throughout his IPL career, he singled out the rivalry with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium as particularly intense. The large number of travelling CSK fans transforms the atmosphere, creating an electrifying and competitive environment unlike any other.

Kohli’s journey, from a jubilant teenager celebrating a modest contract to the league’s most iconic and consistent performer, encapsulates the extraordinary growth and impact of the IPL over the past 18 years.

Read More