Virat Kohli’s
era as captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended in heartbreak,
losing the Eliminator match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to crash
out of IPL 2021. Despite being one of the most entertaining and talented sides
in the league, the franchise has perennially underachieved since its inception,
being one of only three among the original eight teams to have never won the
title.  

Following
their exit, the franchise posted a video on their social media where Kohli
opened up about his journey with the team and his captaincy, where he said he has
“no complaints” and “only gratitude” for the opportunity he was given at RCB.

Also Read | IPL 2021: Sunrisers Hyderabad axing ‘bitter pill to swallow’, says Warner

“It’s bit of an emotional moment for me because I have led this franchise
for so long and I have tried my absolute best to make the team win, to get us a
title. Unfortunately, that could not happen, such is life. I have no
complaints, I only have gratitude for the opportunity that RCB has given me and
I’m happy that I was able to give everything that I had,” Kohli said in an emotional
message.

Kohli also
said he would have liked to lift a trophy as captain but “some things are not
meant to be”.

Meanwhile, Kohli’s
longtime teammate AB de Villiers said “captaincy is not everything” and that
the “story is not finished yet”.

Also Read | IPL 2021: What Gautam Gambhir said on de Villiers, Maxwell’s RCB future

“Obviously
would have enjoyed winning a trophy while being captain for RCB but it wasn’t
meant to be, there’s a bigger story for him to tell in the future. He’s a huge
character in the team…I’ve had a wonderful run under him as captain, I’ve
really enjoyed my time,” the South African said.  

Meanwhile, speaking
on his most memorable moments, Kohli said, “Those crucial matches that you win,
especially at home in Bengaluru were the most amazing and those are something
that are so special as a captain when you see the team pulling things off.”

Kohli will
now look to lead India to their first T20 World Cup win in 14 years in his
final stint as the Men in Blue’s captain in the shortest format.