Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli said he has always given his best despite his captaincy ending without an Indian Premier League (IPL) title, adding he will continue to play for the franchise till his last day in the league. 

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated Kohli’s side in the Eliminator match in Sharjah on Monday to book their side in the second Qualifier against the Delhi Captials to end RCB’s IPL 2021 campaign. 

However, Kohli, who had earlier announced he will step down from captaincy following the conclusion of the current season, said he will continue to play for RCB as, “loyalty matters more than worldly pleasures”. 

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“I don’t see myself playing anywhere else. Loyalty matters more to me than worldly pleasures. I would be in the RCB till the last day I play in the IPL,” Kohli said. 

He also said it is now time for the franchise to “regroup and restructure” for the next three years.

“I have given my best. I don’t know how the response has been, but I have given 120% to this franchise every time, which is something I will now do as a player. It is a great time to regroup and restructure for the next three years with people who will take this ahead,” the 32-year-old said. 

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The Indian captain said he has always tried to promote youth and give them a chance to play expressive cricket. “I have tried my best to create a culture here where youngsters could come in and play with freedom and belief. It is something I have done with India as well.”

On the defeat to KKR, the Delhi-born batsman said their spin trio of Varun Chakravarty, Sunil Narine and Shakib Al Hasan dominated the middle overs and strangled the RCB batsmen for runs. 

“Those middle overs where their spinner dominated the game was the difference. They kept bowling in tight areas and kept picking wickets. We had a great start and it was about quality bowling and not bad batting. They thoroughly deserve to win this one and be in the next round.” 

Narine, who was adjudjed player-of-the-match, took four wickets inluding the scalps of Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers and Srikar Bharat.