“Got what we wanted for the balance of our squad” - RCB skipper Virat Kohli on IPL auction
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli believes the franchise managed to get what they wanted from the IPL 2021 auction to strengthen their side.
RCB picked up New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson for INR 15 crore and maverick Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell for INR 14.25 crore at Thursday's auction. They also purchased Daniel Christian for INR 4.8 crore and Indian cricketers Mohammed Azharuddeen, Sachin Baby, Rajat Patidar and KS Bharat for INR 20 lakh each.
In a video message posted on RCB’s official Twitter account, Kohli expressed satisfaction at how the auction panned out for the franchise. He said:
“Very happy with our buys and the results we had in the auction. We got what we wanted for the balance and the strength of our squad. Had a really good season last year. I truly believe that the new additions are going to propel us in the right direction forward and hopefully a couple of more steps further than last year."
Sharing a special message for the RCB fans, Kohli added he was hopeful of seeing them support the franchise from the stands this year. The 2020 IPL was played in the UAE behind closed doors owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. The 32-year-old stated:
“Just want to say once again, to the best fan base, we look forward to your support. Hopefully, we see a lot of you at the grounds in the IPL this year. Can’t wait to be back and get going for RCB. See you all soon.”
How RCB’s big purchases reacted to their signings
Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson, who was RCB’s biggest purchase at INR 15 crore, responded by saying he didn't know how much the amount would be when converted into New Zealand dollars.
Speaking to stuff.co.nz, Jamieson revealed the conversation he had with former Kiwi pacer and Mumbai Indians' bowling coach Shane Bond about his auction price. The 26-year-old was quoted as saying:
"I woke up around midnight and decided to check the phone. Rather than trying to avoid the situation, (I thought) I'll sit back and enjoy it. It was certainly a weird hour and a half waiting for my name to be called up. I had a message from Shane Bond as it was going and he said, 'How good is this'. I didn't actually know what the amount of money was, how that translated to New Zealand dollars. It was quite cool to share that moment with him and ride that two or three minutes with him.”
On the other hand, Glenn Maxwell, who was bought by RCB for INR 14.25 crore, said he was looking forward to playing under Kohli. In a video message posted on RCB’s social media accounts, the Big Show said:
“I am super excited to be part of the RCB team this year. Certainly looking forward to playing under Virat (Kohli), playing with AB de Villiers as well and a couple of my friends - Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson and my old friend Yuzvendra Chahal. Haven’t played together since days back in Mumbai.”
RCB are yet to win the IPL title. They made it to the Eliminator last season, where they were defeated by Sunrisers Hyderabad.