IPL 2021: Former RCB stars on Virat Kohli’s decision to step down from captaincy after current season

Last
week,
Kohli
had
announced
that
he
would
step
down
as
India’s
T20I
captain
after
the
upcoming
T20
World
Cup
and
a
few
days
later,
he
announced
that
he
would
also
give
up
leadership
of
RCB
after
the
ongoing
season.

Both
Steyn
and
Parthiv,
who
played
under
the
leadership
of
Kohli
in
RCB,
spoke
about
their
former
skipper’s
announcement
during
the
live
feed
of
Star
Sports’ Select
Dugout
show.

Steyn,
who
announced
his
retirement
from
all
forms
of
the
game
last
month,
believes
that
it
is
probably
the
right
time
for
Kohli
to
step
aside
from
T20
captaincy
and
focus
purely
on
his
batting.

Virat
Kohli
to
step
down
as
Royal
Challengers
Bangalore
captain
after
IPL
2021

“You
see
the
way
that
he
plays,
he’s
involved
in
everything,
whether
he’s
in
Test
matches
when
he’s
standing
at
first
slip
or
even
if
he’s
at
the
cover,
he
wants
the
ball
immediately
when
it
goes
to
the
keeper,
he
always
wants
to
be
involved.
But
I
think
sometimes
now
in
this
COVID
time
maybe
as
Parthiv
referred
to
bubble-life,
his
family
that
he’s
got,”
Steyn
said
on
Select
Dugout
show.

“It’s
a
lot
of
responsibility
–
and
playing
for
RCB
before
–
you
see
Virat,
he’s
in
every
advert
and
every
meeting;
he’s
just
so
busy.
So
maybe
it
is
the
right
time
for
him
to
just
put
this
aside
and
focus
purely
on
his
batting,”
he
added.

Former
Indian
wicketkeeper
Pathiv,
meanwhile,
felt
Kohli’s
decision
was
emotional
as
he’s
been
the
captain
of
the
franchise
for
nine
years
and
been
part
of
the
franchise
since
the
inception
of
IPL
in
2008.

“I
think
he
looked
more
emotional
than
happy.
I
think
when
you’re
playing
for
one
franchise
for
so
many
years,
you
get
that
emotional
connect
which
was
there
in
RCB.
I
think
RCB
actually
invested
in
Kohli’s
talent
in
2008
and
then
showed
a
lot
of
trust
in
him
as
well
because
if
you
look
at
his
and
RCB’s
journey,
it
has
been
a
roller-coaster
one.”

“But
yeah,
he
might
be
relieved
because
see
moving
around
from
one
bubble
to
another
can
take
a
load
on
you
and
he
has
spoken
about
the
workload
and
intensity,
which
he
plays
with.
I
think
every
practice
session,
every
match
session
or
gym
session,
he
does
it
with
full
intensity
and
that’s
something
I’m
sure
he
must’ve
thought
about,”
he
added.

Kohli
and
co
got
off
to
a
faltering
start
in
IPL
2021
second
phase
as
they
suffered
a
9-wicket
loss
to
Kolkata
Knight
Riders
after
RCB
were
bowled
out
for
a
paltry
92
on
Monday
(September
20).

IPL
2021:
Virat
Kohli’s
announcement
didn’t
distract
RCB
but
we
were
not
sharp
as
batting
unit:
Hesson

Their
were
talks
that
Kohli’s
decision
to
make
an
announcement
about
his
captaincy
a
day
before
the
match
may
have
cost
them,
but
RCB’s
Director
of
Cricket
and
head
coach
Mike
Hesson
said
that
did
not
impact
the
team’s
performance.

RCB
still
remain
third
in
the
points
table,
but
need
to
win
at
least
three
to
seal
a
play-off
spot
and
they
will
look
to
get
back
among
the
wins
when
they
face
Chennai
Super
Kings
at
the
Sharjah
Cricket
Stadium
on
Friday
(September
24).

(With
Agency
inputs)