On the eve of the second phase of IPL 2021, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli said that his side will not take anything for granted after performing well in the India leg of the tournament.
With 5 wins from 7 games, RCB were occupying third place on the points table when the IPL 14 was suspended midway in May due to COVID-19 cases in the bio-bubble of multiple franchises.
For the remainder of the IPL 2021, RCB’s squad looks a bit different. They have roped in Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, George Garton and Tim David as replacements for Adam Zampa, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson and Finn Allen respectively. The franchise has also signed Bengal medium-pacer Akash Deep to replace injured Washington Sundar.
According to Kohli, the latest additions have given a new dimension to the team.
“We have made changes, we’ve got a few replacements. Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa who were with us in the first leg, made a decision not to play in the second leg for reasons which are absolutely understandable,” he said at the unveiling of team’s blue jersey on Saturday (September 18).
“The replacements we have got for those guys are two players who know these conditions, the conditions in the sub continent around this time are similar.
“Wanidu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera have played so much cricket in Sri Lanka and know how to play in pitches like these. Their skill sets will be of huge help to us.
“We haven’t spoken at all on what we have missed out on because players have pulled out. We feel stronger, the new additions have given us a new dimension,” Kohli added.
The RCB captain said his team will start the second phase with the same passion and commitment that they showed in April-May.
“Having played the game for so long at this level you understand that whether you are seven wins in a row you have to start the eighth with the same passion and commitment and professionalism.
“Whether you have no wins out of five games you still have to find motivation and the passion inside to go out and change the result. You can’t take anything for granted.
“On the outside there are many analyses and data points but the game is not played on that. The game is never about information from the outside it is about reaction, belief in certain moments, game plans and making sure you have the will and commitment to execute those plans.”
Asked if the players not getting enough time to spend as a group ahead of the tournament affect preparations in any way, Kohli said the team’s performance in the first half instilled a lot of confidence.
“It is an important factor (players joining the squad at different times) but that isn’t going to take away from what we set out to achieve and what we already set in motion in the last time.
“We had a great start to IPL 2021 to the campaign and that is a driving factor that we can play a certain brand of cricket that we have already shown in the first leg with really strong and consistent performances, every player chipping in somewhere or the other etc.”
RCB will resume their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on September 20 in Abu Dhabi.
(With PTI inputs)
