Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have been an integral part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise for more than a decade. Before Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, AB de Villiers broke the partnership when he decided to announced his retirement from all forms. Kohli bid an emotional goodbye to his friend De Villiers. While RCB are yet to win their maiden IPL title, Kohli said that "he will remember ABD if RCB win the title".
In a recent video posted by the Bangalore-based franchise, Kohli recalled the moment when the former South African batter sent him a voice note after India’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign to an end.
"It is very strange, I mean. I clearly remember when he decided to finally call it a day, he sent me a voice note. And, I still remember we were coming back from Dubai after the World Cup, and I got this voice note, and we were driving back home. I got the voice note, I opened it and listened to it. Anushka was with me and I looked at her like this.
"The first thing she said was, don’t tell me. She knew. I kind of had the impression during the last IPL. He kept telling me, our rooms were next to each other. I want to see you for coffee one of these days. I kept getting nervous, I was like I am not sitting with you, I think there’s something coming," the former RCB skipper said.
Kohli said that he knew "something was brewing up" because De Villiers never said that he wants to sit and chat.
“It’s a very strange feeling, I got very emotional, the voice note was very emotional as well for me when he said I don’t have it in me anymore," he added.
The closest RCB got to the IPL trophy under Kohli’s captaincy was in 2016 when they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
"I have shared so many moments with him, highs and lows, everything, he’s been right next to me through thick and thin. I was thinking about him the other day that if we manage to win the title in the coming seasons, this one, next one, whatever it is. I would be very emotional thinking about him first, rather than you know what I would experience after such hard work of so many years.
"I would actually think how much it would still mean to him, watching from home. He’s a special human being, he’s touched everyone’s lives here, we can all vouch for that, he’s been amazing. I don’t think there’s one person who can say AB has not contributed to my life some way or the other, he concluded.
RCB did not start on a winning note as they lost to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a high-scoring game on March 27. The Faf du Plessis-led side will look to register their first win of the tournament when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 30.
