India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain, Virat Kohli, explained what makes playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) a more fulfilling experience than featuring in different major ICC events at the highest level.
Kohli, under whom India has reached the 2017 Champions Trophy final and semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup, would love to have seen the IPL 2020 be played on time and not be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had led to its indefinite suspension.
"You do play all your tournaments, which is one team versus another, ICC tournaments come every now and then, but even in ICC tournaments, you don't really interact with the other team players or you see the other teams so often every now and then," said the 31-year-old on a Star Sports show.
"But in the IPL, you are just probably meeting another team every second or third day and that's the beauty of the IPL, you are playing in a different atmosphere."
Another aspect of IPL that Kohli finds amusing is the connect that franchises have been able to forge with their fans across the country.
"I absolutely love that tournament and also for the camaraderie which you share with so many new players that you play with," he said.
"So many players that you have known for a long time now, not from your own country, those who you don't see often, and there is one reason why everyone loves the IPL too, there is a connect, of players and fans and of viewers."
Like Kohli, BCCI and IPL franchises are also hoping for the normalcy to return soon so that the league's 13th edition can be played at some stage this year.
(Inputs from IANS)
