Virat Kohli: We haven’t won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world
Indian star batter Virat Kohli motivated the Royal Challengers Bangalore women’s team after a horrible start to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season, in a video released by the franchise on social media, Kohli was caught talking about his struggles in the IPL.
Indian star batter Virat Kohli motivated the Royal Challengers Bangalore women’s team after a horrible start to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season.
The first win for RCB in the mega event came against UP Warriorz after they lost their first five matches. In a video released by the franchise on social media, Kohli was caught talking about his struggles in the Indian Premier League as a part of the team.
“I’ve been playing IPL for 15 years. And I haven’t won it yet. But that doesn’t stop me from being excited every year. That’s all I can do. That’s the effort I can put into every game and every tournament that I play,”
he said.
“If we win, great. If we don’t, then I am not going to go to my grave thinking that if only I had won an IPL, I would be a happy man. It doesn’t happen like that. So always think about the opportunity that you have rather than how bad it is right now. There is always a flip side to it, and it could always be worse than this. And the facts that we haven’t won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world. Only because we were always committed to every game that we played for RCB. That has been the most special thing for our fans. There’s no guarantee of giving you a cup every year, but there’s a guarantee of giving your 110% every year, and that’s all you can strive to do,”
Kohli told the team in the video.
Allrounder Kanika Ahuja said that the discussion she had with Kohli was what motivated her to score a rapid 46 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore finally end their losing streak.
“Virat sir told us there is nothing about pressure here, it is all about the pleasure,”
Ahuja told the media during the first press conference of her career.
Kohli skipped the Indian team’s optional training session on Wednesday and instead met the RCB team which is participating in the WPL here in Mumbai.
“He told us to not put ourselves under pressure when we are out there in the middle. He said it is a matter of pleasure that we are getting to play here, not everyone gets a similar opportunity,”
said Ahuja, who wants to bat 360 degrees like Suryakumar Yadav.
After being reduced to 60 for 4, the RCB team was left in the same rut with its top players Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, and Ellyse Perry returning to the pavilion.
Ahuja then took control of the game and scored eight fours and a six during her knock, adding 60 runs for the fifth wicket with Richa Ghosh (31), leading her team to its first victory in six games.
“The thing I had in my mind was that come whatever may, we have to win. The target was also low, hence there was time for us to take our time and play accordingly. We waited for loose balls to capitalize,”
she said.