Kohli, who came into the side on the back of a U-19 World Cup title, endured a rough first season. He only scored 165 runs at an average of 15 and a poor strike rate of 105. Following the end of that campaign, where RCB finished seventh, the 33-year-old narrated a hilarious anecdote of his journey in an Omni van to the airport.
Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Kohli said:
In the first season, Kohli largely batted at No.5 due to the presence of players like Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. He would eventually repay the franchise’s trust in him after getting promoted up the order in subsequent seasons.
“I was just sitting there, and I felt so timid” - Virat Kohli
In the first IPL season, RCB had a star-studded team comprising well-renowned international players. Kohli recalled how intimidating it was for him to share the same room with such players.
Senior players like Rahul Dravid, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher graced the dressing room. Speaking about his first interaction with his team members at the launch party, the 33-year-old added:
The ace player would evolve from a budding youngster into the heartbeat of the team in the next decade. He is now moving into the next phase of his career after relinquishing the captaincy at the end of the 2021 IPL season.
0 votes
