After announcing to quit the Team India captaincy in the shortest format of the game, Virat Kohli has now decided to step down from his role as captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after the completion of VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.
Kohli, one of the most decorated players of the franchise, will continue to be part of the RCB squad.
Announcing the move, Kohli said in a statement: “It has been a great and an inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years. It wasn’t an easy decision but one that has been well thought of and in the best interest of this wonderful franchise.”
“The RCB family remains close to my heart as we continue to strive to achieve excellence. As I have mentioned previously in many occasions, I will only play for RCB until my retirement from the game of cricket,” he added.
On the other hand, Prathmesh Mishra, Chairman, RCB said, “Virat Kohli is one of the finest cricketers, and has been a true asset to RCB. His impeccable work ethics and leadership skills has been phenomenal. We respect and support this decision and would like to thank Virat for his incredible contribution to the RCB leadership group.”
“He has left an indelible mark on the franchise and will continue to be a senior member of the team,” he added.
Notably, Kohli has led RCB in 132 matches since being announced as the captain of the side in 2013, which is the second-most number of appearances as a captain in IPL after MS Dhoni’s 196 for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants.
Under Kohli, RCB won 60 matches, lost 66 and four ended with no result.
Under the run-macine, RCB’s best finish in an IPL season came in 2016 when they reached the final however, went down before Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the summit clash.
Earlier on September 16, Kohli had announced to step down as India’s T20I captain after the T20 World Cup in the UAE next month.
Taking to the micro-blogging website, the run-machine tweeted: “I have given everything to the Team during my time as T20 Captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 Team as a batsman moving forward.”
Kohli said he has had lengthy discussions with head coach Ravi Shastri and opener Rohit Sharma before coming to the conclusion that he needs to concentrate more on ODI and Test cricket both as a batsman and as captain to take the team to new heights.
“Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time. After a lot of contemplation and discussions with my close people, Ravi bhai and also Rohit, who have been an essential part of the leadership group, I’ve decided to step down as the T20 Captain after this T20 World Cup in Dubai in October,” he added.
Kohli also said that he has informed about his decision to the Indian board.
“I have also spoken to the secretary Mr Jay Shah and the President of BCCI Mr Sourav Ganguly along with all the selectors about the same. I will continue to serve Indian Cricket and the Indian Team to the best of my ability. I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian Cricket Team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team. I couldn’t have done it without them – the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kohli said that he will continue to serve the national team as captain in the Tests and ODIs.