IPL 2021: Virat Kohli tries to find new fuel for RCB’s maiden title quest in Hasaranga, Chameera

The
IPL
2021,
which
was
suspended
midway
into
the
league
in
May
owing
to
multiple
COVID-19
cases
in
its
bio-bubble,
will
resume
in
the
UAE
on
Sunday
(September
19).

RCB
are
missing
the
services
of
a
few
of
their
players
who
featured
in
the
first
leg,
including
the
Australian
duo
of
Adam
Zampa
and
Kane
Richardson.

“We
have
made
changes,
we’ve
got
a
few
replacements.
Kane
Richardson,
Adam
Zampa
who
were
with
us
in
the
first
leg,
made
a
decision
not
to
play
in
the
second
leg
for
reasons
which
are
absolutely
understandable,”
Kohli
said
at
the
unveiling
of
team’s
blue
jersey.

“The
replacements
we
have
got
for
those
guys
are
two
players
who
know
these
conditions,
the
conditions
in
the
sub-continent
around
this
time
are
similar.

“Wanidu
Hasaranga,
Dushmantha
Chameera
have
played
so
much
cricket
in
Sri
Lanka
and
know
how
to
play
in
pitches
like
these.
Their
skill
sets
will
be
of
huge
help
to
us.
We
haven’t
spoken
at
all
on
what
we
have
missed
out
on
because
players
have
pulled
out.
We
feel
stronger,
the
new
additions
have
given
us
a
new
dimension,”
Kohli
added.

RCB
are
currently
placed
third
in
the
league
table,
having
won
five
of
their
seven
matches
but
the
skipper
said
the
team
will
start
the
second
phase
with
the
same
passion
and
commitment
they
showed
in
April-May.

“Having
played
the
game
for
so
long
at
this
level
you
understand
that
whether
you
are
seven
wins
in
a
row
you
have
to
start
the
eighth
with
the
same
passion
and
commitment
and
professionalism.

“Whether
you
have
no
wins
out
of
five
games
you
still
have
to
find
motivation
and
the
passion
inside
to
go
out
and
change
the
result.
You
can’t
take
anything
for
granted.

“On
the
outside
there
are
many
analyses
and
data
points
but
the
game
is
not
played
on
that.
The
game
is
never
about
information
from
the
outside
it
is
about
reaction,
belief
in
certain
moments,
game
plans
and
making
sure
you
have
the
will
and
commitment
to
execute
those
plans.”

Asked
if
the
players
not
getting
enough
time
to
spend
as
a
group
ahead
of
the
tournament
affect
preparations
in
any
way,
Kohli
said
the
team’s
performance
in
the
first
half
instilled
a
lot
of
confidence.

“It
is
an
important
factor
(players
joining
the
squad
at
different
times)
but
that
isn’t
going
to
take
away
from
what
we
set
out
to
achieve
and
what
we
already
set
in
motion
in
the
last
time.

“We
had
a
great
start
to
IPL
2021
to
the
campaign
and
that
is
a
driving
factor
that
we
can
play
a
certain
brand
of
cricket
that
we
have
already
shown
in
the
first
leg
with
really
strong
and
consistent
performances,
every
player
chipping
in
somewhere
or
the
other
etc.”

RCB
are
slated
to
take
on
Kolkata
Knight
Riders
on
Monday
in
Abu
Dhabi
and
the
Kohli-led
RCB
players
will
be
wearing
blue
jerseys
resembling
the
colour
of
the
PPE
kits
of
frontline
warriors.

These
signed
jerseys
will
be
auctioned
and
the
proceeds
will
be
used
for
free
vaccination
among
lesser
privileged
communities
in
India.