Xtra Time Web Desk: Virat Kohli ended his stint as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain on a disappointing note on Monday, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 4 wickets in the IPL 2021 Eliminator. Ahead of the season resumption, Kohli had announced that he’ll step down as RCB skipper after the completion of the competition.
Talking about his stint as RCB captain, Kohli said, “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.”
He added, “I have given my best. 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.”
Kohli has maintained that he will continue playing for RCB till the day he hangs his boots.
“Yes definitely, I don’t see myself playing anywhere else. Loyalty matters more to me than worldly pleasures. I would be in the RCB till the last day I play in the IPL.”
It has been a long stint for Kohli as RCB captain since he was given the role as a stop gap after Daniel Vettori was injured in 2011. He has led the Royal Challengers in 140 matches in IPL, winning 66 of them and losing 70 with 4 producing no result. Kohli finished with an impressive win percent of 48.52%.
Kohli was given the full-time role as captain of RCB in 2013. During his tenure as captain, Kohli has taken RCB to playoffs thrice in nine seasons. In this period, the Bangalore-based franchise enjoyed its best season in 2016 as they finished runners-up. However, the Challengers don’t have much to show in other seasons.
However Kohli as a batsman excelled in this period. He scored a staggering 4881 runs, the most by any IPL captain. He has scored 35 fifties and 5 hundred at an average of 42.07 and a strike rate of 133.32.