Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers reveal how IPL changed their lives

AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli. Pic/ AFP

Strengthening its relationship with the RCB Universe across the country and around the globe, Royal Challengers Bangalore launches ‘The RCB Podcast Powered by Kotak Mahindra Bank' to engage not just with its fans but the entire sporting ecosystem. The series of 10 episodes features some of the biggest names who have donned the RCB jersey and been proponents of the team's #PlayBold philosophy.

The podcast, hosted by popular actor and comedian Danish Sait, includes players like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Harshal Patel, Kyle Jamieson, Mike Hesson and Sanjay Bangar, who elaborate on the central theme of the podcast for season 1 - How the IPL Changed My Life. The RCB Podcast produced in collaboration with ATS studio, the makers of the popular podcast Mission Isro, releases on Saturday, February 5th, 2022, and will witness AB de Villiers get candid and spill the beans on untold stories about his fabled career with the Royal Challengers. All audio episodes of the podcast will be available on popular audio streaming platforms: Spotify, Gaana and Apple Podcast.

Speaking about ‘The RCB Podcast', Rajesh Menon, Vice-President and Head, Royal Challengers Bangalore said, "RCB have pioneered content in the country and the launch of the ‘The RCB Podcast' is a step in that direction to further bridge the gap between our players and the RCB Universe. This podcast has been benchmarked alongside the best and successful podcasts in the world. We have created unique strategies through our digital channels that have earned us many plaudits. RCB was the most engaged IPL team on social media in 2021 and among the Top 10 most popular global sporting teams on social media last year. We hope to continue creating such engaging content that our fans can engage and ensure to stay connected with the team even during the off-season."

Puneet Kapoor, President - Products, Alternate Channels and Customer Experience Delivery, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, "We are excited to continue our partnership with Royal Challengers Bangalore for the second consecutive season. ‘The RCB Podcast' will help cricket lovers get to know more about their favourite players. We also invite RCB's loyal fan base to shower more love on their team and favourite players by enjoying the benefits of Kotak MyTeam RCB debit and credit cards."

Expressing his excitement being the host of ‘The RCB Podcast', popular actor, comedian and RCB Insider Danish Sait said, "I have been part of the RCB family for quite some time and the aura around this franchise has been exceptional. Through the course of this journey, I have developed strong relationships with the players, and it was a surreal experience to relive all that in ‘The RCB Podcast'. This is one of the coolest projects I have worked on. Fans will get to listen to get to some interesting stories from stars like Virat, AB, who have opened up on a lot of their lives off the field and shared very interesting stories. There's no denying that fans will love every bit of this podcast."

On ‘The RCB Podcast', Virat Kohli elaborates his experiences during the first draft of IPL 2019, "I was in Malaysia for the World Cup, and I remember the day when the drafts were happening. The Under-19 dynamic was a little different because we rightly had a huge pay gap. That was the only time there was cap on how much can a player be picked for if you have not played for India. Even that moment, for players like us, was so amazing because when they revealed the amount we got picked for, we are surprised and couldn't believe it. Delhi team, who was initially interested in me later went for Pradeep Sangwan as their dynamic of the squad demanded for a left arm seamer and our best during the Under-19 campaign. So, since Delhi decided to strengthen their bowling department, RCB picked me and it was such an impactful moment in my life which I didn't realise then, but when I look back, things would have been very different to what they are now. I would not have it any other way than this."

Glen Maxwell on ‘The RCB Podcast' talks about how IPL has changed his life, "IPL has changed my life in an amazing way. Some of the heroes and the people I have admired throughout my career, I have got a chance to play for, against and playing under them. It has changed me as a cricketer and as a person. The people I have met and the things I have learned from the IPL has helped me grow as a person who I am today. I owe it to the IPL a lot because I have learnt to adapt situations and it helped me get better as a player."

Listen to candid conversations from the stars of Royal Challengers Bangalore only on
‘The RCB Podcast' now available on Spotify, Gaana and Apple Podcast