Sharjah: The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) failed miserably after coming so close to winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday, causing agony for Virat Kohli’s players in the Eliminator as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) knocked them out.
Kohli had become the regular skipper at RCB in 2013, Under Virat Kohli, RCB had reached the finals of IPL in 2016 and it was in the same edition that Kohli registered the most number of runs by a batter in a single season. However, after that RCB found the going tough phases and the side failed to reach the playoffs in three consecutive years and the jinx was finally broken in 2020.
It was not just RCB’s last game in the IPL 2021, but it was also Virat Kohli’s final game in the IPL as the captain of the franchise having announced the same before the start of the second leg. Speaking after the heartbreaking defeat against KKR, Virat Kohli said he doesn’t know how the response has been for his captaincy at RCB but stressed he had given it his all.
“I have tried my best to create a culture here where youngsters could come in and play with freedom and belief. It is something I have done with India as well. I have given my best,” Kohli said at the post match presentation.
💬 💬 I've given my 120% to this franchise leading the team & will continue to do so as a player. 👏 👏@imVkohli reflects on his journey as @RCBTweets captain. #VIVOIPL | #Eliminator | #RCBvKKR pic.twitter.com/XkIXfYZMAj
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 11, 2021
“I don’t know how the response has been, but I have given 120% to this franchise every time, which is something I will now do as a player. It is a great time to regroup and restructure for the next three years with people who will take this ahead,” he added.
He further confirmed that he will continue to play for the franchise till the last day of his IPL career given that he values loyalty and commitment over other things. “Yes definitely (on playing for RCB), I don’t see myself playing anywhere else. To me, loyalty matters more than worldly pleasures. My commitment to RCB is till the last day I play in the IPL,” Kohli concluded.
Over the last 11 years, Kohli led RCB in 140 matches. He won 66 and lost 70 as the skipper of the much-followed franchise. With the bat, Kohli hardly let RCB down as he hit 4871 runs, including 5 hundreds, in 139 innings.
