IPL 2021 | Umpires will sleep better, quips AB de Villiers as Virat Kohli's stint as RCB captain ends

The Royal Challengers Bangalore were knocked out of IPL 2021 by the Eoin Morgan-led side in the Eliminator on Monday in Sharjah. The four-wicket defeat against the Kolkata-based franchise also ended Virat Kohli’s stint as RCB captain. Ahead of the franchise’s first league match in the second phase of IPL, Virat Kohli had announced that he will be stepping down as RCB captain after the conclusion of the tournament.

During the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, Kohli was seen fuming at the on-field umpire Virender Sharma over a leg-before call against Rahul Tripathi.

AB de Villiers joked about the incident and stated that the umpires will sleep a bit better, with Kohli having stepped down from IPL Captaincy. 

“I think some of the umpires will sleep a bit better. I am very happy for them," said de Villiers in a video posted by RCB.

De Villiers, who scored 313 runs from 15 matches 31.30 in IPL 2021, congratulated Kohli for his contribution to the franchise as the captain. The South African further added that he cannot wait to see Kohli winning trophies for India and RCB.

“Congrats on a great captaincy career. I can’t wait to watch you run out there with all the freedom and win (the) first trophy for us (RCB) and more trophies for India," de Villiers said.

Virat Kohli took over as RCB's full time captain from Daniel Vettori in 2013, and led the team in 140 matches, of which they won 66. Under Kohli's captaincy, RCB reached the IPL finals in 2016, where they were beaten by David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad.