In what was his last season as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain, Virat Kohli failed to get his hands on the coveted IPL trophy.
RCB on Monday (October 11) got knocked out of the IPL 2021 with a four-wicket defeat versus Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Eliminator match at Sharjah.
After the game, Kohli said 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League has been one he has enjoyed most after the 2016 season, in which RCB made it to the final.
WATCH – Virat Kohli argues with umpire over a leg before call in his last game as RCB captain
"If you ask me honestly, the 2016 season was very special for us but I think, this season has been the most enjoyable after that. Just being part of this group and the way we conducted ourselves, the way we handled success and failure, is something that is very special," Kohli told his teammates in the dressing room after the defeat against KKR.
In the Eliminator match, RCB posted a below-par 138/7 on the board, which KKR chased down with two balls to spare.
Kohli said the team is proud of the way they played despite the loss to KKR. Notably, RCB finished third on the points table to qualify for the IPL 2021 playoffs with 9 wins from 14 games.
"We might all be disappointed today but no one looks broken. We are very proud of the way we played, which I think is something we have always tried to create in this franchise, and I have been grateful to get the opportunity to captain this team for nine years," he said.
"I'll continue to give everything for this franchise, still be a leader around the group, but not the one making all the decisions. I am very sure that the new people who will come will take this franchise to the next level. I want to thank all of you for making this campaign very memorable and I feel we have created friendships and camaraderie which will last for a long time," Kohli concluded.
Before the UAE-leg of IPL 2021, Virat Kohli had announced that he will step down as RCB’s captain after this season. Overall, he led the Bangalore-based franchise for almost a decade, finishing with 66 wins and 70 defeats in 140 games.
