Had packed my bags in April itself: Kohli on RCB's disastrous first half

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have pulled off a fairytale turnaround in the ongoing Indian Premier League season.

Reflecting on their disastrous first half of the tournament, star batter Virat Kohli admitted he had his ‘bags packed in April’ itself.

Still looking for their elusive IPL title, RCB had one of their worst starts to the season, winning just one out of their first eight games. But the Bengaluru side did a complete U-turn, as they picked up five wins on the trot to not just revive themselves, but also give themselves a chance to make it to the playoffs. If they down arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in their final game on Saturday by a margin, RCB can become the fourth team to seal their playoff spot.

Reflecting on the team’s journey in the current season, former skipper Virat Kohli, while speaking to JioCinema said it was amazing how quickly the game can turn around.

“I had packed my bags in April itself, thinking there was no chance of us qualifying. See where we are standing now. It is amazing how this game can turn, and what is the explanation for that? There is no explanation,” Kohli said.

“You are playing instinctively, having fun, and you have come to this situation. One should never assume that something else is going to happen,” added Kohli.

Meanwhile, Kohli opened up on his loyalty with the Bengaluru side, having been with the team since the inaugural IPL edition in 2008.

“Things that are special are the connection you have with fans, the franchise, or your camaraderie with players. Experiencing these things for such a long time is special in itself. Not everyone gets this.

“There is always a chance of the franchise note retaining you, or you asking for your release,” said Kohli.

• IPL 2024

The star batter was speaking ahead of RCB’s match against CSK, which is a virtual knockout game. If CSK win, they bag the last playoffs spot. But in RCB win, by 18 runs or chase it down with 11 balls to spare, they will march into the playoffs. But rain might play spoilsport, giving CSK the last spot.