Paying tribute to the late RCB captain, South Africa said, ‘You make people believe in themselves, which is more important than winning the trophy.
Virat Kohli will never understand the kind of impact he has made on Royal Challengers Bangalore while leading the team, his longtime IPL teammate AB de Villiers said in a rich tribute.
Kohli’s nine-year stint as RCB captain ended with a four-wicket loss to Kolkata Knight Riders in the Eliminator of the 2021 Indian Premier League in Sharjah on Monday.
Kohli had said before the start of the UAE leg of the IPL that He will step down as the captain of RCB at the end of the season..
De Villiers said in a video posted by the franchise, “I have been here with Virat all the years as captain and I think the word that comes to mind is ‘thank you’. We were so lucky to have you all. were ahead.” .
“The way you have captained this team has inspired everyone, definitely inspired me to be better as a player and as a person. It has had more of an impact than you would imagine. Miles is gone. There are stories you don’t even hear about the lives of people you’ve touched.”
Since taking over as the captain of RCB in 2013, Kohli has led the team to the play-offs four times, including the last two seasons and the final in 2016.
Kohli led RCB in 140 matches, winning 66 and losing 70. There were no results in four matches.
De Villiers said that Kohli’s contribution is more than his performance as a captain or batsman.
This versatile South African player said, “I know you on the field, but also away from it. You make people believe in themselves, which is more important than winning the trophy. I still believe that it will work for you.” “
During their eliminator against KKR, on-field umpire Virender Sharma came under fire from the RCB captain after a poor lbw decision during Knight Riders’ innings.
“You’ve done a great job, but that book isn’t over yet. We won’t forget all you did for us. Thanks for all the memories, and I think some umpires will sleep a little better, too. Happy for you,” de Villiers said on a lighter note, referring to that particular call by the umpire.
on his behalf, Kohli thanked his teammates and said that they can “hold their heads high”.
“Not the result we wanted but I am very proud of the character the boys have shown throughout the tournament. A disappointing end but we can hold our heads high. Thank you to all the fans, management and support staff for your continued support , Kohli wrote on his Twitter handle.
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