4 min readKochiJun 21, 2026 07:52 PM IST
Even at 37, Virat Kohli remains in excellent form, and the recently concluded edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) highlighted this. He scored a total of 675 runs, becoming the player to earn the most runs for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) this season. It was reportedly also his highest-ever total in a single IPL edition. While there may be several factors that keep Virat in form, he recently revealed one thing that never fails to boost him before a match: a song.
As he sat down with Punjabi singer-rapper Karan Aujla at the One8 global premiere in New Delhi, the legendary cricketer shared that Aujla’s “Winning Speech” is one of the songs that’s very close to his heart. He also pointed out that the track reminds him of his father, whom he lost early in life.
How Karan Aujla’s song resonates with Virat Kohli
Although Virat Kohli and Karan Aujla are friends now, the former Indian national cricket team captain revealed that he has been a fan of the singer-rapper for even longer. “You write songs from the heart, and it shows. You also represent your story, which is quite special. The one track I resonate with the most is ‘Winning Speech,'” he said, seated next to Karan on stage during the event.
Explaining why the song is so special to him, Virat noted, “It explains the journey he has been through, and I have felt a bit of similarity in it with my journey as well. I also lost my dad when I was pretty young. So, that song is quite special for me. I have heard it often before going to play matches.”
Inside Virat Kohli’s legendary match-winning mindset
During the event, Virat Kohli also revealed that he gets a special thrill from turning the tide in a game that everyone assumed his team had lost and leading it to victory. The cricketer said, “I always crave situations where people have assumed it (the match) is gone, and then we somehow manage to pull it back. That’s how I have always looked at situations from a very young age.”
He added, “I never stop believing right till the very end that a game is lost or we can’t win. Some magical things have also happened. I can never forget the match against Pakistan in Melbourne, where I was told later that the chances of winning were like 3 per cent. But I never thought like that, and even 1 per cent is enough. If there’s a chance, there’s a chance. You are never really done until you lose the game.”
Virat Kohli’s surprising vision for One8 Commune
Opening up about his aspirations for One8 Commune, Virat Kohli said he wants to take it to a point where it outgrows him and no one even remembers who started the label in the first place.
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“It would make me the proudest if nobody gave two hoots about who we are and who started this. The brand should outgrow all of us, and if we can do that in 20 years, I would love to be completely forgotten. It should take over, and people should not even remember who started it. That’s where we want to get to,” he added.
Disclaimer: This article is shared for informational and entertainment purposes, capturing personal reflections and commentary from a public event.
Virat Kohli opens up about his bond with Punjabi singer Karan Aujla. (Credit: Facebook/@virat.kohli)