IPL 2019 | It is very difficult to come back in a tournament like IPL, asserts Virat Kohli
IPL
After another dismal outing in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore, Virat Kohli admitted that it was always an uphill battle for his team due to a poor start in the early stages of the season. Kohli & Co. won their final match of the season on Saturday against Sunrisers Hyderabad on home soil.
It’s starting to look like an unending trend for Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore who ended the 2019 season of the Indian Premier League at the last position despite being touted as the favourites to make the top four before the start of the tournament. Kohli & Co. registered a four-wicket win in their final match of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday night.
Under-fire skipper Kohli was happy with his team's determination last night but admitted that in a tournament like the IPL, it is never easy to make a comeback. The Bangalore-based franchise found themselves under severe criticism after they lost their opening seven matches in the league.
"If we focus on the second half, it is exactly what we wanted in the first half. After losing the first six matches, it is very difficult to come back in a tournament like IPL. We have a lot to learn and a lot of positives from this season. The first half matters a lot - you have to set the intensity there. Even if we had won two of the first six matches, we would have qualified for the play-offs.
"We are happy with the way guys have turned things around and just play the kind of cricket that we have played in the second half. A lot of credit goes to the team management for getting us back in the right frame of mind. As cricketers you don't want to come here and feel completely hopeless. We haven't finished in the position that we wanted to, it sounds strange but because the second half has been so good it doesn't feel like a bad season. We won last 5 off our 7 matches and with one no-result, it is something that we can be proud of. It is such a short format that often 5 or 7 minutes decide the outcome. We can be proud of the boys effort in the final few matches," Kohli said in the post-match interview, reported CricketNext.
Talking about the win against SRH, Kohli opined that Kane Williamson’s side took their foot off the pedal after the dismissal of AB De Villiers which ultimately worked in the favour of the home team.
“At 20 for 3 when me and ABD got out... I think the opposition took it lightly. We spoke that it was about time someone else showed up. Everyone knows Hetmyer can play that way, we'd like him to play like that next year. Gurkeerat played a really mature innings. He doesn't have much IPL experience but he's someone who has a keen eye for the game.
"I just want to thank the crowd for the way they have supported us over the years. We are so grateful to have such fans. I certainly feel the pain as I am as emotionally attached to the team. Hopefully next year we can improve our performance and give you something in return. We've got the best fans in the IPL,” Kohli added.
