Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli says his well-balanced outfit are confident of a good show in Indian Premier League-11
RCB skipper Virat Kohli during a practice session at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. Pic/PTI
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That the Royal Challengers Bangalore side have been very fan-friendly and in turn gathered a huge following over the years is well known. But so is the fact that they are yet to win the coveted IPL trophy. So even as skipper Virat Kohli made a grand announcement here yesterday that RCB had retired their No. 12 jersey and named it after their fans, he also touched upon the more important part of his squad boasting of a healthy all-round strength this season unlike in the past.
Tribute to loyal fans
"Today [Wednesday] we unveiled the latest development with RCB, that is retiring jersey No. 12. Naming it as the 12th man in relation to the fans is a tribute to the amazing fan base we've had over the years. They have supported us regardless of how the seasons have gone for us," said Virat Kohli just before the team went into match simulation mode at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
What he said next was more important. "We are optimistic about the season. It's a very balanced side. In the 10 years that I've been here, I don't think we've ever had such balance. This year we are not relying on batting, we've got bowling options too," said the RCB skipper.
He was even more enthusiastic about the appointment of Gary Kirsten as mentor and batting coach. "I was personally in favour of getting Gary on board," he said. "This discussion came up sometime before the auction. I thought it's a great opportunity for the youngers to spend time with Gary because I benefitted massively from his inputs in the early stages of my career," he added.
A much-needed break
Asked how the well deserved break he took after the South Africa series has helped, Kohli said: "Well, I required it. Physically I was up with a few niggles. I pretty much went to the tour of South Africa with full intensity. Towards the end the body obviously took a bit of beating. I understood that I need complete time off from the game. Three weeks without even looking at my kit bag or bats was a weird feeling."
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