Can one ever dispute what he has done for RCB? Gavaskar’s high praise for Kohli

Virat Kohli‘s last chance to win an Indian Premier League (IPL) title as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was dashed after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) scripted a thrilling 4-wicket to go forward in the tournament. The Kolkata-based franchise will now be playing the Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 2 on October 13.

Even though Kohli could not finish on a high with RCB, India great Sunil Gavaskar praised the right-handed batsman and said that he has done wonders for the franchise.

After the match, during a show on Star Sports, Gavaskar said not all scripts are written in favour of the players. “The script is not always written that way. Not everybody has this great fortune of going on a high. But can one ever dispute what he has done for RCB? He has done magnificently,” Gavaskar said of Kohli.

Gavaskar also added that the kind of profile Kohli has given RCB, no other franchise has done it. “He has given RCB that kind of profile, that brand recognition that very (few) cricketers have given to their franchise,” Gavaskar said.

The former India captain compared Kohli’s last match as RCB skipper with Donald Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar‘s farewells.

“Everybody wants to finish on a high. But these things never always happen according to your or fans’ wishes. Look at what happened to Sir Don Bradman. Just four runs were needed in his last innings and he gets out for a zero.”

“Sachin Tendulkar would have wanted to finish with a hundred, he got 79 (Tendulkar scored 74) in Mumbai, his 200th Test match. 79 is not bad but somebody who is used to making hundreds would have wanted to get those extra 21 runs and then end his Test career there,” Gavaskar pointed out.

Gavaskar also spoke on how Kohli has an ever-lasting impact on the team and recalled the 2016 season when he was close to getting 1000 runs in a single edition.

“There was one year when he got 973 runs, 27 runs short of 1000 runs. Nobody has done it, nobody looks like ever getting to 1000 runs.”

Since taking over as RCB’s captain 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.