Captain gets candid

His team may not have had a great IPL this year, but RCB skipper Virat Kohli sure knows how to take things in his stride. At a promotional event in the city, team India’s Captain got candid about Bengaluru, dealing with losses and more…

Ask the Dilli lad what he likes most about B’luru and its culture and he instantly says, “I don’t think any team member thinks differently when it comes to the fans here. We’ve played good cricket in the past, but the kind of support we’ve had this year has been amazing - we’ve seen a packed stadium even though fans knew we couldn’t make it to the playoffs. It drives us to keep that loyalty going in the franchise and not change anything in our heads. The way they’ve always been behind the players has been one standout feature in the last 10 years.” As someone who’s visited a plethora of hangouts here, the flamboyant batsman’s glad that the ooru has so many places to chill at. “We had a big break and the guys knew what to do in the city. It’s a perfect place to be in when the team wants to unwind,” he expresses, adding, “But the first thing I think of when I land at the airport here is the traffic on the way to the city!”

Despite some dejection in the air, the RCB boys did manage to have a bit of entertainment, thanks to the hilarious Mr. Nags. “I’m glad he’s not here, he’s been pretty annoying most of the time! No, but it’s always fun to have a guy around to make us laugh. He tried to give me some batting tips this year, which I think I should’ve taken — that’s something I regret,” quips Virat, as the audience breaks into laughter.

With 2017 being RCB’s worst season, captain Kohli admits that it’s not easy to pick oneself up with the kind of results they’ve had. He also reveals that there was a point when the squad was so helpless that they’d go back to the changing room laughing! “You’ve got to keep the patience and calmness around the room. Everyone embraced what was happening and helped each other out,” he says.