Dubai: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli will step down as RCB captain after the end of Indian Premier League 2021. The news came in a few days after Kohli announced that he will leave India’s T20I captaincy post the T20 World Cup, but will remain as the captain in ODIs and Test.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) took to social media on Sunday to announce the news. “Hello everyone, the whole RCB family, the amazing fans of Bangalore, and to all those who have supported us. I have an announcement to make,” Kohli said in a video uploaded on RCB’s official Twitter handle.
The RCB skipper also explained his decision, via an official statement. “It has been a great and inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years.” Kohli said.
Virat Kohli to step down from RCB captaincy after #IPL2021
“This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me.”: Virat Kohli#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/QSIdCT8QQM
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) September 19, 2021
“It wasn’t an easy decision but one that has been well thought of and in the best interest of this wonderful franchise. The RCB family remains close to my heart as we continue to strive to achieve excellence. As I have mentioned previously on many occasions, I will only play for RCB until my retirement from the game of cricket.”
Kohli is leading RCB since the 2013 edition. He led the side in 132 matches, which is the second-most number of appearances as a captain in IPL after MS Dhoni’s 196 for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants. Kohli is the only batsman to breach the 6000-run mark in the T20 league, he has scored 6076 runs in 199 matches so far.
“I spoke to the management this evening, it was something that was in my mind for a while. This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me. I want to be able to be committed to the responsibilities that I am fulfilling and I felt I needed the space to be fresh, to regroup, and be absolutely clear in how I want to move forward,” Kohli further said.
RCB won 60 matches under Kohli, which is the fourth-most under any captain in the league. The Bangalore-based franchise’s best finish in an IPL season under Kohli came in 2016 when they reached the final. But the dream of winning the IPL title remained unfulfilled as RCB lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the summit clash.
