"Not everybody has this great fortune of going on a high" - Sunil Gavaskar on Virat Kohli ending his stint as RCB captain with a defeat
Former India batsman Sunil Gavaskar applauded the efforts Virat Kohli has put in as captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Gavaskar admitted that a picture perfect ending is not the case every time and Kohli will have to accept that he failed to deliver a title to the franchise during his stint as an IPL captain.
"I have tried my best to create a culture where youngsters could come in & play with freedom & belief.I have given 120% to RCB every time, which is something I will now do as a player.”
You have been an inspiration, role model and the torchbearer of RCB.
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Kohli led the RCB to the finals on one occasion and finished last with the side in two editions in his time as leader. He chose to relinquish the captaincy role to ease the workload on him. RCB had to win three contests in a row to get their hands on the elusive trophy this year but fell short in the very first hurdle itself, losing to the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Eliminator at Sharjah.
Notably, Kohli will also step down from the post of captain of India's T20I team following the culmination of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021.
The Royal Knight begins. ⚔️ 🤩
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Gavaskar compared Kohli's situation to the ones Bradman and Tendulkar faced when it came to incomplete endings. While speaking on Star Sports, Gavaskar said:
"It certainly is (disappointing). Everybody wants to finish on a high. Individually, you want to finish on a high. But these things don't always happen according to what you wish or your fans wish. The script is not always written that way. Not everybody has this great fortune of going on a high."
"Look at what happened to Sir Don Bradman. Just 4 runs needed (for 100 average), he gets out for zero in his last innings. Look at what happened to Sachin Tendulkar. He would have wanted to finish with a hundred (in his last Test) but he got 79 in his 200th Test match."
With the loss in his final game as RCB skipper, Kohli ended with a win rate of less than 50% spanning across several editions of the league.
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Look at what Kohli has done for RCB: Sunil Gavaskar
Gavaskar noted the contribution Kohli has made to the franchise since the league's inception. The Indian skipper is the only player to play in 14 editions for a single franchise. Gavaskar also noted the brand value Kohli brought to the franchise almost single-handedly.
"But can one ever dispute what he has done for RCB? He has done magnificently. Look at what he has done for RCB. He has given RCB a kind of profile, a kind of brand recognition that very few cricketers have given to their franchise."
"Therefore, yes, it is sad to see him not winning. But the fact he is committed to RCB till he plays RCB just tells you his commitment to RCB."
Kohli confirmed once again that he will continue to represent the franchise in the IPL as long as he plays cricket. He has asserted that he does not see himself playing for any other franchise in the league.