Former Indian cricketer Amit Mishra has explained how Indian Premier League clubs’ support for players has practically transformed the teams into a ‘family’ for players. Mishra played for the Delhi Capitals (formerly the Delhi Daredevils) in ten of his sixteen IPL seasons, as well as the Deccan Chargers and the Lucknow Super Giants.
To further emphasize his perspective, Mishra used Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as examples, as well as how Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians have supported the two through thick and thin. Kohli has been kept by RCB from the beginning. He also mentioned that it was perfectly natural for the ace batter to break down after winning the IPL with RCB in 2025.
“RCB have supported Virat from the start. They’ve never left him. Rohit’s been with Mumbai for such a long time and has won them many titles. It’s seen in him even after not being the captain, that it’s his time and his home. Even with Virat, it was like that. From the start, he’s been there, even captained and did everything he could,” Mishra told MensXP.
“It becomes like a family. When things like that happen (RCB winning), those emotions come out. It is good as well. When a team has supported you so much, if you win for them and show those emotions, it is a very good thing,” Mishra, who has a record of three hat-tricks in the IPL, added.
Virat Kohli topped RCB’s run charts in their title-winning season, scoring 657 runs from 15 innings at a strike rate of 144.71. The New Delhi-born batter, who also leads the IPL’s all-time run-scoring list, played a decisive role in the franchise’s maiden title in the premier T20 competition.
Rohit has led the Mumbai-based franchise to five IPL titles, guiding them to triumphs in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. With those victories, he stands alongside former India captain MS Dhoni as the most successful skipper in IPL history, although Dhoni has lifted the trophy four times with Chennai Super Kings.
As the 19th season of the cash-rich league approaches, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will command the spotlight. Both currently feature only in ODIs at the international level, and they remain the leading T20 run-scorers for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, respectively.
