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Virat Kohli has been with RCB for 18 years and holds the IPL record for most runs, 8,396 in 261 matches, including 8 centuries, with an average of 38.17 In a stunning revelation, former Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) captain Virender Sehwag has shed light on one of the most significant decisions in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. In 2008, the Delhi team had the golden opportunity to select local talent Virat Kohli, who had just led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup.
Despite his evident talent, Kohli remained an uncapped player at the time. Instead of Kohli, Delhi opted to strengthen their bowling attack by selecting left-arm fast bowler Pradeep Sangwan. This decision, often cited as one of the biggest errors in IPL history, was explained by Sehwag in a recent interview with Cricbuzz.
Sehwag shared that the team’s batting lineup was already robust with players like Sehwag himself, Gautam Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan, AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Karthik, and Manoj Tiwary. Therefore, the focus was on enhancing their bowling attack. In the 2008 IPL draft for under-19 players, Delhi had the first pick.
They chose Sangwan, who had impressed with his disciplined bowling performance, notably with figures of 5-2-14-0 in the Under-19 World Cup final. Sehwag explained that the team needed bowlers, not batsmen. Sangwan, along with other young bowlers like Yo Mahesh, was brought in to bolster the team’s bowling strength.
Sangwan took 15 wickets in the 2009 IPL, contributing to the team’s position at the top of the league. However, his career faced a setback in 2013 when he failed a doping test and received a 15-month ban. Sangwan has since taken 38 wickets in 42 IPL matches but never made it to the national team.
On the other hand, Kohli was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for just 12 lakhs. This provided him with a platform to showcase his talent, and he has remained with RCB for 18 years. Kohli holds the record for the most runs in IPL history, with 8,396 runs in 261 matches, including 8 centuries and an average of 38.
17. While Sehwag defended the decision to drop Kohli, stating that the team’s priority was bowlers at the time, it remains a notable decision in IPL history. As of IPL 2025, RCB leads the table with 7 wins from 10 matches, with Kohli’s 423 runs (average 47, 5 half-centuries) playing a crucial role in their success.
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