BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star batter Virat Kohli made sure that his first words at the RCB Unbox 2024 event were about his appreciation for the side’s loyal fanbase and how he wants to realise his dream of winning an IPL trophy for them.
In a video posted by RCB on X (formerly Twitter), Kohli thanked the Royal Challengers Bangalore fans and promised to always be there for RCB. The star batter also stated that he would aim to emulate the women’s team’s achievements and add another trophy to their cabinet.
https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1770086400060199247
Talking about the women’s team’s victory and his own future, Kohli said, “Amazing. When they won, we were all watching it and at that point, you realise the fan base in its absolutely purest form. It felt like the city won. The turnout during the games had no comparison. These are special things and it is something you create over a long period of time.”
“If you look at the tournament of the fans during all the games of RCB women’s team played there was no comparison, to be honest. 30,000 people for the finals and a packed stadium when they played here (Chinnaswamy), these are special things that you create over a long period of time and not one or two years. 16 years of loyalty and passion from the fans…that is unwavering,” he added.
Kohli also hailed the Royal Challengers Bangalore women’s team for their historic triumph in the Women’s Premier League final, saying he hopes to follow it up with another title.
“Hopefully we can double it up with the trophies. That’ll be something truly special. I am always going to be here, try to be part of the group that wins it for the first time. I will try my best with my ability and experience to do it for the fans and the franchise. It is a dream of mine as well to know what it feels like to win the IPL,” Kohli said at an RCB Unbox event.
RCB will start their IPL 2024 campaign against Chennai Super Kings on Friday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Earlier in the day, the RCB men’s team gave the Smriti Mandhana-led Women’s Premier League 2024 champions a guard of honour during the RCB Unbox event on Tuesday. With an all-rounded performance in all facets of the game, the Royal Challengers Bangalore women’s team lifted the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024 trophy on Sunday. During the event, RCB’s men’s team comprising Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Reece Topley, Mohammed Siraj, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik, Karn Sharma and many more gave the women’s team a guard of honour.
Smriti walked holding the trophy with the rest of the players as the men’s team stars applauded the WPL 2024 champions. The RCB women’s team took a victory lap around the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as fans cheered for the title-winning team. During the victory lap, Smriti was on a video call with star all-rounder Ellyse Perry. At the end of the victory lap, the team also posed with the trophy.
RCB’s men’s team will look to replicate the success with a squad that is a mix of talent, youth and experience.
Star batter Kohli will make his on-field return, after missing the two T20I matches of the three-match series against Afghanistan in January and went on to miss the five-match Test series against England.
After linking up with the RCB squad Virat said in a video posted by the franchise on social media, “It is really good to be back, firstly playing cricket. Also, exciting to come back to Bangalore for the start of the IPL season. Similar emotions, similar feelings. I have not been off the media radar for two months, I have been into normalcy you can say. I am pretty happy to back, I hope all the fans are happy and excited as well.”
The likes of du Plessis and Maxwell would further strengthen RCB’s squad and their chances of powering them to the powerplay.
RCB strengthened their squad in the IPL 2024 auction by acquiring the services of foreign and Indian talent which includes Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh and Saurav Chauhan.
RCB IPL 2024 squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan. (ANI)