Indian leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was roped in by Rajasthan Royals at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction last month after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Chahal was part of the RCB squad for total of eight seasons from IPL 2014 to 2021 before being released by the franchise ahead of the ongoing season.

One of the best spinners in the league at present, Chahal enjoyed an incredibly successful spell at RCB and became their leading wicket-taker of all time with 139 wickets in 113 matches at an average of 22.03. The leg-spinner recently opened up on parting ways with his former side and said he had never thought he would play for some other team in the IPL.

Chahal said the RCB management didn't have any discussions with him about retaining him ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction nor was there any sort of an offer from the franchise for him. Chahal revealed RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson had called him before the auction to inform him that the franchise was retaining three players - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj.

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"I am emotionally attached to RCB. I never thought I would play for some other team. People and fans on social media are still asking me ‘why did you ask for this much money?’. The reality is that Mike Hesson (RCB Director of Cricket) called me and said ‘Listen Yuzi, there are three retentions’ (Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj)," Chahal said in an interview with Times of India.

"They didn’t ask me whether I wanted to be retained or tell me if they wanted to retain me. They just talked about the three retentions and I was told that – ‘we will go for you in the auction’. Neither was I asked about money nor did I get any offer of retention. But I will always be loyal to my Bangalore fans. I love them so much, no matter what," he added.

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Chahal now has a new side in Rajasthan Royals and is looking to repeat his heroics from the past seasons for his new team this year. The leg-spinner was roped in by RR for a sum of Rs 6.5 crore (INR 65 million) at the mega auction and is raring to repay the faith shown in him by the franchise.

"Obviously. The jersey will be different, but the Yuzi will be the same. You will see the same kind of wicket-taking performances and celebrations from me. It’s a new journey for me and I am very excited about it. Everything will be the same, only the jersey will change. The way I bowled and performed for RCB, I will do the same for RR as well. Nothing is going to change. RR showed faith in me at the auction," said Chahal, who has 139 wickets to his name in 100 matches in his IPL career.

Indian leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was roped in by Rajasthan Royals at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction last month after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Indian leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was roped in by Rajasthan Royals at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction last month after being released by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Chahal was part of the RCB squad for total of eight seasons from IPL 2014 to 2021 before being released by the franchise ahead of the ongoing season. One of the best spinners in the league at present, Chahal enjoyed an incredibly successful spell at RCB and became their leading wicket-taker of all time with 139 wickets in 113 matches at an average of 22.03. The leg-spinner recently opened up on parting ways with his former side and said he had never thought he would play for some other team in the IPL. Chahal said the RCB management didn't have any discussions with him about retaining him ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction nor was there any sort of an offer from the franchise for him. Chahal revealed RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson had called him before the auction to inform him that the franchise was retaining three players - Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. Also Read: When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB "I am emotionally attached to RCB. I never thought I would play for some other team. People and fans on social media are still asking me ‘why did you ask for this much money?’. The reality is that Mike Hesson (RCB Director of Cricket) called me and said ‘Listen Yuzi, there are three retentions’ (Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj)," Chahal said in an interview with Times of India. "They didn’t ask me whether I wanted to be retained or tell me if they wanted to retain me. They just talked about the three retentions and I was told that – ‘we will go for you in the auction’. Neither was I asked about money nor did I get any offer of retention. But I will always be loyal to my Bangalore fans. I love them so much, no matter what," he added. Also Read: 'Want to emulate my brother MS Dhoni': GT captain Hardik Pandya sends warning to other teams Chahal now has a new side in Rajasthan Royals and is looking to repeat his heroics from the past seasons for his new team this year. The leg-spinner was roped in by RR for a sum of Rs 6.5 crore (INR 65 million) at the mega auction and is raring to repay the faith shown in him by the franchise. "Obviously. The jersey will be different, but the Yuzi will be the same. You will see the same kind of wicket-taking performances and celebrations from me. It’s a new journey for me and I am very excited about it. Everything will be the same, only the jersey will change. The way I bowled and performed for RCB, I will do the same for RR as well. Nothing is going to change. RR showed faith in me at the auction," said Chahal, who has 139 wickets to his name in 100 matches in his IPL career.

RCB didn't ask if I wanted to be retained, never thought I would play for another IPL team: Yuzvendra Chahal

Jasprit Bumrah is currently one of the best pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mumbai Indians (MI) fast bowler has been one of the most prolific wicket-takers in the league over the years and has been delivering brilliant performances with the ball consistently for the five-time champions.

Bumrah, who made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in the year 2013, has come a long way and has established his credentials as one of the best in the world. Bumrah might have made his IPl debut in the year 2013 but he got to play only two matches that season.

Bumrah enjoyed a breakthrough season in IPL 2016 where he played regularly for Mumbai Indians and ended up with 15 wickets in 14 matches. He has never looked back since and is currently an integral member of the Indian pace attack across all formats as well.

However, Bumrah could have ended up at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and not Mumbai Indians had former RCB skipper Virat Kohli listened to his former RCB teammate Parthiv Patel's advice back in 2014. Parthiv, who used to captain Gujarat at the time in domestic cricket, had seen Bumrah play and rated the youngster highly.

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Parthiv was part of the RCB squad in the IPL back then and suggested to Kohli that he should try Bumrah for the franchise. However, Kohli didn't take his advice seriously and brushed off the suggestion saying that players like Bumrah can't do much for the team.

“In 2014, when I was at RCB, I told Kohli there’s this bowler named Bumrah. Have a look at him. Virat replied saying ‘Chhor na yaar. Ye Bumrah-Vumrah kya karenge?’ (Leave it. What will such players do?),” Parthiv told Cricbuzz.

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When Bumrah broke into the Gujarat Ranji side, he was mentored by Parthiv in the initial years. The former RCB wicket-keeper batter revealed Bumrah struggled to make an impression early in his career but worked hard to stand where he is today.

&nbsp;“When he was first picked, Bumrah played Ranji Trophy for the first 2-3 years. 2013 was his first year, and he didn't have a good season in 2014. In 2015, it was so bad that there were discussions going on that he might have to be sent back home mid-season. But, he slowly began improving and Mumbai Indians really backed him. It was his own hard work and such backing that really brought out the best in him,” Parthiv added.&nbsp;

Bumrah has so far played 107 matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and has 130 wickets to his name at an&nbsp;average of 23.37. He was retained by Mumbai Indians for a sum of Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million) ahead of the ongoing season.

Jasprit Bumrah is currently one of the best pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mumbai Indians (MI) fast bowler has been one of the most prolific wicket-takers in the league over the years and has been delivering brilliant performances with the ball consistently for the five-time champions.

Jasprit Bumrah is currently one of the best pacers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mumbai Indians (MI) fast bowler has been one of the most prolific wicket-takers in the league over the years and has been delivering brilliant performances with the ball consistently for the five-time champions. Bumrah, who made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians in the year 2013, has come a long way and has established his credentials as one of the best in the world. Bumrah might have made his IPl debut in the year 2013 but he got to play only two matches that season. Bumrah enjoyed a breakthrough season in IPL 2016 where he played regularly for Mumbai Indians and ended up with 15 wickets in 14 matches. He has never looked back since and is currently an integral member of the Indian pace attack across all formats as well. However, Bumrah could have ended up at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and not Mumbai Indians had former RCB skipper Virat Kohli listened to his former RCB teammate Parthiv Patel's advice back in 2014. Parthiv, who used to captain Gujarat at the time in domestic cricket, had seen Bumrah play and rated the youngster highly. Also Read: Holder to Stoinis: Overseas stars who will miss Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans clash in IPL 2022 Parthiv was part of the RCB squad in the IPL back then and suggested to Kohli that he should try Bumrah for the franchise. However, Kohli didn't take his advice seriously and brushed off the suggestion saying that players like Bumrah can't do much for the team. “In 2014, when I was at RCB, I told Kohli there’s this bowler named Bumrah. Have a look at him. Virat replied saying ‘Chhor na yaar. Ye Bumrah-Vumrah kya karenge?’ (Leave it. What will such players do?),” Parthiv told Cricbuzz. Also Read: Krunal Pandya, Deepak Hooda to feature? Lucknow Super Giants' predicted playing XI for GT clash When Bumrah broke into the Gujarat Ranji side, he was mentored by Parthiv in the initial years. The former RCB wicket-keeper batter revealed Bumrah struggled to make an impression early in his career but worked hard to stand where he is today. “When he was first picked, Bumrah played Ranji Trophy for the first 2-3 years. 2013 was his first year, and he didn't have a good season in 2014. In 2015, it was so bad that there were discussions going on that he might have to be sent back home mid-season. But, he slowly began improving and Mumbai Indians really backed him. It was his own hard work and such backing that really brought out the best in him,” Parthiv added. Bumrah has so far played 107 matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and has 130 wickets to his name at an average of 23.37. He was retained by Mumbai Indians for a sum of Rs 12 crore (INR 120 million) ahead of the ongoing season.

'What will he do': When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB

Faf du Plessis had a dream start to his stint as Royal Challengers Bangalore captain as he scored an impressive 88 from 57 deliveries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Punjab Kings on Sunday. The South Africa opener slammed three fours and seven sixes during his innings.<o:p></o:p>

Faf started slow along with Anuj Rawat but keep accelerating with time as he stitched together a 108-run partnership with Virat Kohli to take his side to a total of 205 for the loss of two wickets.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mumbai-indians-skipper-rohit-sharma-fined-rs-12-lakh-for-slow-over-rate-against-delhi-capitals-466077" hreflang="en">MI skipper Rohit Sharma fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate vs DC</a><o:p></o:p>

Thanks to his brilliant knock, Faf scripted history by claiming the record of most runs scored by an overseas player on captaincy debut. The previous record belonged to Kieron Pollard who scored 83 when he played his first game as captain of Mumbai Indians during the 2019 season.<o:p></o:p>

Overall, he is currently in fourth position behind Sanju Samson’s 119f or Rajasthan Royals, Mayank Agarwal's 99 for Punjab Kings and 93 by Shreyas Iyer on his captaincy debut for Delhi Capitals.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-gujarat-lions-unveil-vice-captain-ahead-of-lucknow-super-giants-encounter-466079" hreflang="en">Gujarat Lions unveil vice-captain ahead of Lucknow Super Giants encounter</a><o:p></o:p>

During his innings, Faf also completed 3000 career runs in IPL and became the third fastest batsman to reach the milestone. He is currently joint third in the list with David Warner who also took 94 innings to score 3000 runs. Chris Gayle was the fastest (75 innings) followed by KL Rahul.<o:p></o:p>

Kohli provided able support to Faf during the innings with a 32-ball-41 and Dinesh Karthik launched a late onslaught (32 off 14 deliveries) to take RCB to a solid total in their tournament opener.<o:p></o:p>

Faf du Plessis had a dream start to his stint as Royal Challengers Bangalore captain as he scored an impressive 88 from 57 deliveries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Punjab Kings on Sunday.

Faf du Plessis had a dream start to his stint as Royal Challengers Bangalore captain as he scored an impressive 88 from 57 deliveries during the Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Punjab Kings on Sunday. The South Africa opener slammed three fours and seven sixes during his innings. Faf started slow along with Anuj Rawat but keep accelerating with time as he stitched together a 108-run partnership with Virat Kohli to take his side to a total of 205 for the loss of two wickets. Also read | MI skipper Rohit Sharma fined Rs 12 lakh for slow over-rate vs DC Thanks to his brilliant knock, Faf scripted history by claiming the record of most runs scored by an overseas player on captaincy debut. The previous record belonged to Kieron Pollard who scored 83 when he played his first game as captain of Mumbai Indians during the 2019 season. Overall, he is currently in fourth position behind Sanju Samson’s 119f or Rajasthan Royals, Mayank Agarwal's 99 for Punjab Kings and 93 by Shreyas Iyer on his captaincy debut for Delhi Capitals. Also read | Gujarat Lions unveil vice-captain ahead of Lucknow Super Giants encounter During his innings, Faf also completed 3000 career runs in IPL and became the third fastest batsman to reach the milestone. He is currently joint third in the list with David Warner who also took 94 innings to score 3000 runs. Chris Gayle was the fastest (75 innings) followed by KL Rahul. Kohli provided able support to Faf during the innings with a 32-ball-41 and Dinesh Karthik launched a late onslaught (32 off 14 deliveries) to take RCB to a solid total in their tournament opener.

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis scripts IPL history with brilliant knock against Punjab Kings

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli picked highly rated Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and 22-year-old wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat as the two potential breakthrough stars for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. <o:p></o:p>

"I am particularly excited about Wanindu, I think he is someone who could really come into the zone. He has the skills to have a great season, a really consistent season", he said when asked about potential breakout stars of the season on the official channel of the RCB franchise.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mi-skipper-rohit-sharma-goes-past-gautam-gambhir-in-elite-list-eyes-virat-kohlis-record-466002">Rohit goes past Gambhir in elite list, eyes Kohli's record</a><o:p></o:p>

Hasaranga was released by RCB after he played for them in 2021 but they paid INR 10.75 to regain his services in the mega auction earlier this year. Last season, he just played two games for RCB.<o:p></o:p>

Kohli also praised the young Anuj Rawat who was picked up for INR 3.4 crore. The youngster represented Rajasthan Royals last season but his numbers were not that encouraging.<o:p></o:p>

However, Kohli sounded impressed with his style of play. "Anuj is another one who is a very exciting talent. (He is) a breakthrough season potential. These are the names that I look at", he said.

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Kohli stepped down from the RCB captaincy ahead of the IPL 2022 season and he was replaced by new recruit Faf du Plessis. RCB decided to retain the services of Kohli, Mohammed Siraj and Glenn Maxwell ahead of the auction and they were able to pick a number of big money signings.<o:p></o:p>

RCB start their IPL 2022 season against Punjab Kings on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli picked highly rated Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and 22-year-old wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat as the two potential breakthrough stars for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season.

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli picked highly rated Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and 22-year-old wicketkeeper batsman Anuj Rawat as the two potential breakthrough stars for the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season. "I am particularly excited about Wanindu, I think he is someone who could really come into the zone. He has the skills to have a great season, a really consistent season", he said when asked about potential breakout stars of the season on the official channel of the RCB franchise. Also read | Rohit goes past Gambhir in elite list, eyes Kohli's record Hasaranga was released by RCB after he played for them in 2021 but they paid INR 10.75 to regain his services in the mega auction earlier this year. Last season, he just played two games for RCB. Kohli also praised the young Anuj Rawat who was picked up for INR 3.4 crore. The youngster represented Rajasthan Royals last season but his numbers were not that encouraging. However, Kohli sounded impressed with his style of play. "Anuj is another one who is a very exciting talent. (He is) a breakthrough season potential. These are the names that I look at", he said. Also read | Seifert pulls off stunning catch to dismiss MI's Pollard - WATCH Kohli stepped down from the RCB captaincy ahead of the IPL 2022 season and he was replaced by new recruit Faf du Plessis. RCB decided to retain the services of Kohli, Mohammed Siraj and Glenn Maxwell ahead of the auction and they were able to pick a number of big money signings. RCB start their IPL 2022 season against Punjab Kings on Sunday.

Virat Kohli picks two RCB youngsters who can enjoy breakthrough season in IPL 2022

Punjab Kings will be looking to start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on a high as they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match in Mumbai on Sunday.<o:p></o:p>

The franchise went into the auction with a huge budget as they retained just two players – Mayank Agarwal, who will be leading the side this year, and young bowler Arshdeep Singh.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-will-virat-kohli-open-with-faf-du-plessis-rcbs-predicted-playing-xi-for-punjab-kings-clash-465897" hreflang="en">Will Kohli open with Du Plessis? RCB's predicted playing XI vs PBKS</a><o:p></o:p>

However, their performance in the auction has quickly made them a favourite ahead of the season and although Punjab Kings will be missing two big money signings in England wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow and South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, they currently boast of an impressive XI.<o:p></o:p>

Mayank Agarwal will be opening the batting for his side and he will be accompanied by the vastly experienced Shikhar Dhawan who will be looking to prove a point after being released by Delhi Capitals. The next two slots will go to two of the power hitters in the side – Liam Livingstone who is known for his destructive bowling and all-rounder Shahrukh Khan who costed them INR 9 crore.

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With Bairstow not in the team for the match, Prabhsimran Singh is expected to keep wickets and in the middle order, he will be joined by Harpreet Brar and West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith.<o:p></o:p>

Nathan Ellis, Sandeep Sharma and Arshdeep Singh will most probably be the pace trio for Punjab Kings on the Mumbai Pitches while Rahul Chahar may find a place as their specialist spinner.<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh<o:p></o:p>

Punjab Kings will be looking to start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on a high as they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match in Mumbai on Sunday.

Punjab Kings will be looking to start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on a high as they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening match in Mumbai on Sunday. The franchise went into the auction with a huge budget as they retained just two players – Mayank Agarwal, who will be leading the side this year, and young bowler Arshdeep Singh. Also read | Will Kohli open with Du Plessis? RCB's predicted playing XI vs PBKS However, their performance in the auction has quickly made them a favourite ahead of the season and although Punjab Kings will be missing two big money signings in England wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow and South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, they currently boast of an impressive XI. Mayank Agarwal will be opening the batting for his side and he will be accompanied by the vastly experienced Shikhar Dhawan who will be looking to prove a point after being released by Delhi Capitals. The next two slots will go to two of the power hitters in the side – Liam Livingstone who is known for his destructive bowling and all-rounder Shahrukh Khan who costed them INR 9 crore. Also read | SA beat India in last-ball thriller to dump them out of Women's WC 2022 With Bairstow not in the team for the match, Prabhsimran Singh is expected to keep wickets and in the middle order, he will be joined by Harpreet Brar and West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith. Nathan Ellis, Sandeep Sharma and Arshdeep Singh will most probably be the pace trio for Punjab Kings on the Mumbai Pitches while Rahul Chahar may find a place as their specialist spinner. Punjab Kings XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Arshdeep Singh

IPL 2022: No Rabada, Bairstow! Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings predicted playing XI for RCB clash

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will embark on a new era under their new captain Faf du Plessis when they lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on Sunday (March 27). RCB will take on PBKS at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai and will be hoping to get off to a winning start.

RCB are one of the six teams who have been part of all 15 seasons since the inception of the IPL in 2008 but are yet to win the league. RCB were a force to reckon with under former captain Kohli but failed to lift their maiden IPL title. Kohli led RCB in a total of 140 matches before stepping down as captain following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year.

Kohli was replaced by veteran batter and former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis as the captain of the side. RCB roped in Du Plessis for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month after his stellar season for his former side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last year. Du Plessis was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2021 and played an instrumental role in CSK's memorable title-winning campaign.

RCB will be hoping for a change in fortunes under the leadership of Du Plessis, who is an experienced campaigner in the IPL and has won the trophy twice with CSK. Kohli will be playing his first game under Faf as a player against Punjab Kings on Sunday.

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While many have urged Kohli to open the innings with new skipper Du Plessis, the former captain is unlikely to bat on top of the order in the absence of all-rounder Glenn Maxwell as it leaves RCB thin in the middle-order. Du Plessis might open the batting with youngster Anuj Rawat with Kohli coming out at his usual no.3 spot.

Maxwell is likely to miss the first few games of the season for RCB and in his absence, Kohli will have to shoulder the run-scoring responsibilities in the middle-order. Dinesh Karthik will also have to play a key role for the franchise as a finisher. RCB paid huge money for Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in the auction and he is likely to feature in the playing XI.

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Along with Hasarnaga, RCB might also play two other overseas all-rounders in the form of Sherfane Rutherford and David Willey to further strengthen their bowling attack and bat deep. Harshal Patel will continue to lead the pace attack along with the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep.

RCB's predicted XI against Punjab Kings:

Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj,&nbsp;Akash Deep

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will embark on a new era under their new captain Faf du Plessis when they lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on Sunday (March 27).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will embark on a new era under their new captain Faf du Plessis when they lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season on Sunday (March 27). RCB will take on PBKS at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai and will be hoping to get off to a winning start. RCB are one of the six teams who have been part of all 15 seasons since the inception of the IPL in 2008 but are yet to win the league. RCB were a force to reckon with under former captain Kohli but failed to lift their maiden IPL title. Kohli led RCB in a total of 140 matches before stepping down as captain following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. Kohli was replaced by veteran batter and former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis as the captain of the side. RCB roped in Du Plessis for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month after his stellar season for his former side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last year. Du Plessis was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2021 and played an instrumental role in CSK's memorable title-winning campaign. RCB will be hoping for a change in fortunes under the leadership of Du Plessis, who is an experienced campaigner in the IPL and has won the trophy twice with CSK. Kohli will be playing his first game under Faf as a player against Punjab Kings on Sunday. Also Read: IPL 2022: Matthew Hayden slammed on Twitter after 'trash' comment on KKR pacer Umesh Yadav While many have urged Kohli to open the innings with new skipper Du Plessis, the former captain is unlikely to bat on top of the order in the absence of all-rounder Glenn Maxwell as it leaves RCB thin in the middle-order. Du Plessis might open the batting with youngster Anuj Rawat with Kohli coming out at his usual no.3 spot. Maxwell is likely to miss the first few games of the season for RCB and in his absence, Kohli will have to shoulder the run-scoring responsibilities in the middle-order. Dinesh Karthik will also have to play a key role for the franchise as a finisher. RCB paid huge money for Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in the auction and he is likely to feature in the playing XI. Also Read: Dwayne Bravo equals Lasith Malinga's all-time record, becomes joint highest wicket-taker in IPL history Along with Hasarnaga, RCB might also play two other overseas all-rounders in the form of Sherfane Rutherford and David Willey to further strengthen their bowling attack and bat deep. Harshal Patel will continue to lead the pace attack along with the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep. RCB's predicted XI against Punjab Kings: Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

IPL 2022: Will Virat Kohli open with Faf du Plessis? RCB's predicted playing XI for Punjab Kings clash

Virat Kohli was seen catching up with MS Dhoni during a practice session in Mumbai ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were training at the same venue where Kohli met Dhoni and the duo shared a heartwarming hug before having a long conversation.

As the entire league stage of the IPL 2022 is being played across four venues in Maharashtra, the franchises have been sharing their training grounds with each other. Kohli, who shares an impeccable bond with former India captain Dhoni, didn't miss out on the opportunity to catch up with him as RCB shared the ground with CSK on Friday.

A video of Kohli walking up to Dhoni and sharing a hug with him during the two teams'&nbsp;training sessions went viral on social media. RCB also took to Twitter to share pictures of the duo and wrote - "Just a couple of LEGENDS catching up at practice."

Watch video:

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Virat kohli wasn't Leaving Dhoni <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/4b71lqOYru">pic.twitter.com/4b71lqOYru</a>
— CSK Fans Army (@CSKFansArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKFansArmy/status/1507418596536098817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Just a couple of LEGENDS catching up at practice. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mission2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mission2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli%F0%93%83%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli𓃵</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSDhoni%F0%93%83%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSDhoni𓃵</a> <a href="https://t.co/etvnf4SW7O">pic.twitter.com/etvnf4SW7O</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1507376585686798337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-kl-rahul-to-ruturaj-gaikwad-top-five-contenders-for-orange-cap-in-ipl-2022-464619">From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022</a>

Kohli and Dhoni shared the Indian dressing room for over a decade and were part of several memorable victories for India on the international stage. The duo was part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning campaign and the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph. Kohli had made his India debut under Dhoni's captaincy in 2008 and went on to become a great of the game under his leadership.

It was in 2015 that Kohli took over from Dhoni as India's Test captain before taking over the white-ball captaincy in 2017. While Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020, Kohli is still an integral member of the Indian team across formats despite having given up captaincy across all formats of the game.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-ravi-shastri-has-his-say-on-virat-kohlis-batting-position-for-royal-challengers-bangalore-465542">IPL 2022: Ravi Shastri has his say on Virat Kohli's batting position for Royal Challengers Bangalore</a>

IPL 2022 will be the first instance where both Dhoni and Kohli will represent their respective franchises as players having given up captaincy. Dhoni recently stepped down as the captain of four-time IPL champions CSK to hand over the reins to star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja while Kohli had already left RCB's captaincy last year.

While Dhoni will play under Jadeja, Kohli will be playing under RCB's new captain Faf du Plessis in the upcoming season.

Virat Kohli was seen catching up with MS Dhoni during a practice session in Mumbai ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were training at the same venue where Kohli met Dhoni and the duo shared a heartwarming hug before having a long conversation.

Virat Kohli was seen catching up with MS Dhoni during a practice session in Mumbai ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were training at the same venue where Kohli met Dhoni and the duo shared a heartwarming hug before having a long conversation. As the entire league stage of the IPL 2022 is being played across four venues in Maharashtra, the franchises have been sharing their training grounds with each other. Kohli, who shares an impeccable bond with former India captain Dhoni, didn't miss out on the opportunity to catch up with him as RCB shared the ground with CSK on Friday. A video of Kohli walking up to Dhoni and sharing a hug with him during the two teams' training sessions went viral on social media. RCB also took to Twitter to share pictures of the duo and wrote - "Just a couple of LEGENDS catching up at practice." Watch video: Virat kohli wasn't Leaving Dhoni #WhistlePodu | #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/4b71lqOYru — CSK Fans Army (@CSKFansArmy) March 25, 2022 × Just a couple of LEGENDS catching up at practice. #PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2022 #Mission2022 #RCB #ViratKohli𓃵 #MSDhoni𓃵 pic.twitter.com/etvnf4SW7O — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 25, 2022 × Also Read: From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022 Kohli and Dhoni shared the Indian dressing room for over a decade and were part of several memorable victories for India on the international stage. The duo was part of India's 2011 World Cup-winning campaign and the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph. Kohli had made his India debut under Dhoni's captaincy in 2008 and went on to become a great of the game under his leadership. It was in 2015 that Kohli took over from Dhoni as India's Test captain before taking over the white-ball captaincy in 2017. While Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020, Kohli is still an integral member of the Indian team across formats despite having given up captaincy across all formats of the game. Also Read: IPL 2022: Ravi Shastri has his say on Virat Kohli's batting position for Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2022 will be the first instance where both Dhoni and Kohli will represent their respective franchises as players having given up captaincy. Dhoni recently stepped down as the captain of four-time IPL champions CSK to hand over the reins to star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja while Kohli had already left RCB's captaincy last year. While Dhoni will play under Jadeja, Kohli will be playing under RCB's new captain Faf du Plessis in the upcoming season.

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli share a heartwarming hug as legends catch up ahead of IPL 2022 opener - WATCH

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Virat Kohli can repeat his heroics of 2016 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after giving up captaincy of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Kohli had a dream run of form in 2016 when he scored 973 runs in a single season. <o:p></o:p>

Speaking during a Gameplan episode on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “At the moment, we do not know whether Kohli will be captain again. Sometimes when a player is relieved of the burden of captaincy, he flourishes as he is not thinking about 10 other players.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-vs-rohit-sharma-former-australia-cricketer-picks-the-best-ever-ipl-captain-465738" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni vs Rohit Sharma: Former Australia cricketer picks the best ever IPL captain</a>

“When you are captain, you are thinking about 10 other players and sometimes also the other members of your squad, about their form or lack of form and things that they are not doing right which when they do it right, will be good for the team. This season, we might actually see the Kohli of 2016 where he got almost 1000 runs in the IPL season,” Gavaskar said on the programme. <o:p></o:p>

Glenn Maxwell will also be an integral part of RCB after he was retained ahead of this year’s mega auction. Speaking about the Australia star, Gavaskar said, “Maxwell’s cricket depends on how he approaches every inning. There are times when his approach has been unbelievably fantastic and then there are times it has not been that great.

<o:p>Also read |</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-surprised-ab-de-villiers-reacts-to-ms-dhoni-handing-over-csk-captaincy-to-ravindra-jadeja-465741" hreflang="en">&nbsp;AB de Villiers reacts to MS Dhoni handing over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja</a>

“Last season, he was in a team with Virat Kohli and ABD, two of the finest batsmen that the game has seen and so maybe he lifted his game. He raised the level of his game to try to keep up with that.<o:p></o:p>

“If he says to himself, I am going to do what ABD has done for RCB, then RCB could be in for a real magic season from Maxwell,” he concluded.<o:p></o:p>

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Virat Kohli can repeat his heroics of 2016 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after giving up captaincy of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Former Indian cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that Virat Kohli can repeat his heroics of 2016 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after giving up captaincy of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Kohli had a dream run of form in 2016 when he scored 973 runs in a single season. Speaking during a Gameplan episode on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “At the moment, we do not know whether Kohli will be captain again. Sometimes when a player is relieved of the burden of captaincy, he flourishes as he is not thinking about 10 other players. Also read | MS Dhoni vs Rohit Sharma: Former Australia cricketer picks the best ever IPL captain “When you are captain, you are thinking about 10 other players and sometimes also the other members of your squad, about their form or lack of form and things that they are not doing right which when they do it right, will be good for the team. This season, we might actually see the Kohli of 2016 where he got almost 1000 runs in the IPL season,” Gavaskar said on the programme. Glenn Maxwell will also be an integral part of RCB after he was retained ahead of this year’s mega auction. Speaking about the Australia star, Gavaskar said, “Maxwell’s cricket depends on how he approaches every inning. There are times when his approach has been unbelievably fantastic and then there are times it has not been that great. Also read | AB de Villiers reacts to MS Dhoni handing over CSK captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja “Last season, he was in a team with Virat Kohli and ABD, two of the finest batsmen that the game has seen and so maybe he lifted his game. He raised the level of his game to try to keep up with that. “If he says to himself, I am going to do what ABD has done for RCB, then RCB could be in for a real magic season from Maxwell,” he concluded.

IPL 2022: With change in RCB leadership, we might see the Virat Kohli from 2016, says Sunil Gavaskar

Virat Kohli has sent a special message to the fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). For the first time since 2013, Kohli will be playing in the IPL as a pure batter and not as captain of his side. Kohli had stepped down as the captain of RCB following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year.

He has been replaced by former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis, who will be leading an IPL team for the first time in his career. Du Plessis was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL mega auction last month and is expected to play a key role with the bat for the franchise this year.

Ahead of the start of RCB's campaign in IPL 2022, Kohli sent a special message to the fans vowing to give his all to inspire the team to their maiden trophy this season. Kohli requested the fans to throng the stadiums in large numbers to support RCB and promised to give his everything for the team.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-csk-vs-kkr-head-to-head-record-trivia-stats-and-squads-465662">IPL 2022: CSK vs KKR - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads</a>

"Hello everyone in Bengaluru, [to] all the RCB fans. Firstly, it's a new season, fresh start, a different format this year, team's looking strong. We're very excited to start on a strong note. But more importantly, I am really looking forward to heaps and heaps of you coming over from Bangalore, getting hold of tickets and wearing your jerseys and with those red flags and cheering for us," Kohli said in a video shared by RCB.

"Please come to the stadium, support us and we will give you everything, every game like we have over so many years and we'll definitely try our best to go all the way and win the title," he added.

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Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/they-know-how-to-win-games-ab-de-villiers-predicts-winner-of-ipl-2022-opener-between-csk-and-kkr-465697">&nbsp;'They know how to win games': AB de Villiers predicts winner of IPL 2022 opener between CSK and KKR</a>

The former skipper also eplained why he decided to give up captaincy and said it was iportant for him to take the decision as it was creating a hindrance for him in enjoying his game to the fullest. Kohli led RCB in a total of 140 mtches with 64 wins and 69 losses.

RCB have been placed in Group B in IPL 2022 and will be opening their campaign against Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai&nbsp;on Sunday (March 27).

Virat Kohli has sent a special message to the fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). For the first time since 2013, Kohli will be playing in the IPL as a pure batter and not as captain of his side.

Virat Kohli has sent a special message to the fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ahead of the start of the new season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). For the first time since 2013, Kohli will be playing in the IPL as a pure batter and not as captain of his side. Kohli had stepped down as the captain of RCB following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. He has been replaced by former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis, who will be leading an IPL team for the first time in his career. Du Plessis was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL mega auction last month and is expected to play a key role with the bat for the franchise this year. Ahead of the start of RCB's campaign in IPL 2022, Kohli sent a special message to the fans vowing to give his all to inspire the team to their maiden trophy this season. Kohli requested the fans to throng the stadiums in large numbers to support RCB and promised to give his everything for the team. Also Read: IPL 2022: CSK vs KKR - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads "Hello everyone in Bengaluru, [to] all the RCB fans. Firstly, it's a new season, fresh start, a different format this year, team's looking strong. We're very excited to start on a strong note. But more importantly, I am really looking forward to heaps and heaps of you coming over from Bangalore, getting hold of tickets and wearing your jerseys and with those red flags and cheering for us," Kohli said in a video shared by RCB. "Please come to the stadium, support us and we will give you everything, every game like we have over so many years and we'll definitely try our best to go all the way and win the title," he added. × Also Read: 'They know how to win games': AB de Villiers predicts winner of IPL 2022 opener between CSK and KKR The former skipper also eplained why he decided to give up captaincy and said it was iportant for him to take the decision as it was creating a hindrance for him in enjoying his game to the fullest. Kohli led RCB in a total of 140 mtches with 64 wins and 69 losses. RCB have been placed in Group B in IPL 2022 and will be opening their campaign against Punjab Kings at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (March 27).

Virat Kohli sends special message to RCB fans ahead of IPL 2022: 'We will give everything to win the title'

Faf du Plessis will be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but his addition to the squad has raised debates on whether Virat Kohli will be opening the innings for the franchise.

Faf is being considered a confirmed opening batsman for RCB but questions remain over the batting position for former skipper Virat Kohli.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-man-the-legacy-ipl-shares-heartfelt-journey-of-ms-dhoni-as-csk-captain-post-sudden-resignation-465498" hreflang="en">IPL shares heartfelt journey of MS Dhoni as CSK captain - WATCH</a>

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Kohli should open the batting alongside Faf if RCB’s middle order is strong enough. Shastri said that it will all depend on the balance of the team.<o:p></o:p>

"That depends on the balance of the team. I wouldn't know what their middle order is, but just in case they've got a very strong middle order, then there's no harm in Virat opening," Shastri told EspnCricinfo.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-ipl-2022-rishabh-pant-needs-to-maintain-his-aggressive-edge-for-dc-says-ricky-ponting-465468" hreflang="en">Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting</a>

Kohli opened the innings alongside Devdutt Padikkal last season and in 2016, it was the same position where he scored a record 973 runs in a season. However, with no AB de Villiers and a bunch of new faces in the middle order, a lot of experts believe that Kohli can decide to bat at No 3.<o:p></o:p>

RCB will begin their campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27. They will then face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 30 in their second game. Ahead of the season, Kohli decided to leave the captaincy role and RCB decided to go with the experience of Faf. The South Africa international was the second highest run-scorer for Chennai Super Kings last season as they cruised to their fourth IPL title.<o:p></o:p>

Faf du Plessis will be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but his addition to the squad has raised debates on whether Virat Kohli will be opening the innings for the franchise.

Faf du Plessis will be leading Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but his addition to the squad has raised debates on whether Virat Kohli will be opening the innings for the franchise. Faf is being considered a confirmed opening batsman for RCB but questions remain over the batting position for former skipper Virat Kohli. Also read | IPL shares heartfelt journey of MS Dhoni as CSK captain - WATCH Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Kohli should open the batting alongside Faf if RCB’s middle order is strong enough. Shastri said that it will all depend on the balance of the team. "That depends on the balance of the team. I wouldn't know what their middle order is, but just in case they've got a very strong middle order, then there's no harm in Virat opening," Shastri told EspnCricinfo. Also read | Pant needs to maintain his aggressive edge for DC, says Ponting Kohli opened the innings alongside Devdutt Padikkal last season and in 2016, it was the same position where he scored a record 973 runs in a season. However, with no AB de Villiers and a bunch of new faces in the middle order, a lot of experts believe that Kohli can decide to bat at No 3. RCB will begin their campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27. They will then face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 30 in their second game. Ahead of the season, Kohli decided to leave the captaincy role and RCB decided to go with the experience of Faf. The South Africa international was the second highest run-scorer for Chennai Super Kings last season as they cruised to their fourth IPL title.

IPL 2022: Ravi Shastri has his say on Virat Kohli's batting position for Royal Challengers Bangalore

Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of IPL 2021 last year and is all set to play under another captain for the franchise for the first time since 2013. Kohli, who led RCB for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021, is the only player in the league to have represented only one franchise so far in his career.

Kohli was appointed as RCB's permanent captain in 2013 and came close to inspiring the side to their first IPL title in 2016. However, RCB lost against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final to miss out on the trophy. Kohli has been replaced by former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis as RCB's new captain ahead of IPL 2022.

Du Plessis was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month and will be leading a team for the first time in his IPL career. Du Plessis played under MS Dhoni's captaincy in his former side Chennai Super Kings and has won the IPL title twice as a player.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-kl-rahul-to-ruturaj-gaikwad-top-five-contenders-for-orange-cap-in-ipl-2022-464619">From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022</a>

Veteran Indian spinner R Ashwin, who will be playing for Rajasthan Royals this year in the IPL, believes RCB have made a good decision by appointing Du Plessis as captain but the franchise might re-appoint Kohli next year. Ashwin believes RCB have handed over the leadership role to experienced Du Plessis only to give Kohli a break and take some responsibilities off his shoulders.

“Faf is more like towards the end of his IPL career. Maybe, he has two-three years left with him. And they have made him the captain, which is quite a good decision. He brings in a lot of experience and in fact, he has himself said that we can see a bit of MS Dhoni’s touch in his captaincy skills,” Ashwin said in a video on his Youtube channel.

“I feel that since Virat Kohli has undergone a lot of stress as a captain in the last few years, this year will be like a break for him and they might appoint him as a captain next year is my guess," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gautam-gambhir-issues-warning-to-kl-rahul-no-guarantee-that-ipl-will-help-you-become-india-captain-464781">Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain</a>

It remains to be seen if Kohli, who has also left Indian team's captaincy across all formats, will return as RCB captain next year. Kohli has so far led RCB in a total of 140 matches and has 64 wins to his name. RCB are yet to win their maiden IPL title and will hope for a change in fortunes this time around.

Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of IPL 2021 last year and is all set to play under another captain for the franchise for the first time since 2013.

Virat Kohli stepped down as the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of IPL 2021 last year and is all set to play under another captain for the franchise for the first time since 2013. Kohli, who led RCB for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021, is the only player in the league to have represented only one franchise so far in his career. Kohli was appointed as RCB's permanent captain in 2013 and came close to inspiring the side to their first IPL title in 2016. However, RCB lost against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final to miss out on the trophy. Kohli has been replaced by former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis as RCB's new captain ahead of IPL 2022. Du Plessis was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month and will be leading a team for the first time in his IPL career. Du Plessis played under MS Dhoni's captaincy in his former side Chennai Super Kings and has won the IPL title twice as a player. Also Read: From KL Rahul to Ruturaj Gaikwad: Top five contenders for Orange Cap in IPL 2022 Veteran Indian spinner R Ashwin, who will be playing for Rajasthan Royals this year in the IPL, believes RCB have made a good decision by appointing Du Plessis as captain but the franchise might re-appoint Kohli next year. Ashwin believes RCB have handed over the leadership role to experienced Du Plessis only to give Kohli a break and take some responsibilities off his shoulders. “Faf is more like towards the end of his IPL career. Maybe, he has two-three years left with him. And they have made him the captain, which is quite a good decision. He brings in a lot of experience and in fact, he has himself said that we can see a bit of MS Dhoni’s touch in his captaincy skills,” Ashwin said in a video on his Youtube channel. “I feel that since Virat Kohli has undergone a lot of stress as a captain in the last few years, this year will be like a break for him and they might appoint him as a captain next year is my guess," he added. Also Read: Gautam Gambhir issues warning to KL Rahul: No guarantee that IPL will help you become India captain It remains to be seen if Kohli, who has also left Indian team's captaincy across all formats, will return as RCB captain next year. Kohli has so far led RCB in a total of 140 matches and has 64 wins to his name. RCB are yet to win their maiden IPL title and will hope for a change in fortunes this time around.

Faf du Plessis as captain a good decision but RCB might replace him with Virat Kohli next year: R Ashwin

Virat Kohli will enter IPL 2022 with no additional responsibility of captaining the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as he gave up on the top job with the franchise's end of the campaign in IPL 2021.

The 33-year-old Kohli led RCB from 2011-2021, though he became a permanent captain in IPL 2013. While the Bengaluru-based franchise did well under him in some seasons, with their best being the IPL 2016 final appearance, they remained trophy-less even during Kohli's decade-long tenure.

Ahead of the commencement of the new IPL season, from March 26, Kohli reflected on IPL's overall journey, his family's presence and support whereas he also revealed the chat he had with his successor Faf du Plessis as soon the South African was roped in by the RCB franchise in the two-day IPL 15 mega auction (where Faf was bought for INR 70 million).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-jasprit-bumrah-to-kagiso-rabada-a-look-at-five-players-who-might-win-purple-cap-in-ipl-2022-464084">From Jasprit Bumrah to Kagiso Rabada: A look at five players who might win Purple Cap in IPL 2022</a>

"Wow 15 [IPL season]! It's quite unbelievable IPL has come this far and yeah [I am here with] renewed energy because I am off a lot of responsibilities and duties and life is in a very good place. We have a child now, we have a family and for me it's all about going on about life with a lot of joy and happiness and watching our child grow and doing what I love, which is playing cricket," the 33-year old said.

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King Kohli talks about his renewed energy, the confidence he has in Faf, and more on <a href="https://twitter.com/kreditbee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kreditbee</a> presents Bold Diaries.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mission2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mission2022</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/QQlaAFTpuO">pic.twitter.com/QQlaAFTpuO</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1506110921395081219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-virat-kohli-to-ab-de-villiers-superstar-batters-with-most-ipl-hundreds-463535">From Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli to AB de Villiers - Superstar batters with most IPL hundreds</a>

"I messaged him as soon as he was picked for RCB. Sounded him off a little bit about what's to come. It was made official afterwards but I knew obviously that getting Faf at auction, the plan was very clear that we needed a leader in the change room and he commands that respect," he further added.

Faf was recently announced as Kohli's successor at the popular franchise. He has his task cut out to motivate the troops and take them to their first-ever IPL championship in the forthcoming edition.&nbsp;

RCB will play their season-opener versus Mayank Agarwal's Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 27 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

RCB squad for IPL 2022

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma,&nbsp;David Willey.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli will enter IPL 2022 with no additional responsibility of captaining the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as he gave up on the top job with the franchise's end of the campaign in IPL 2021.

Virat Kohli will enter IPL 2022 with no additional responsibility of captaining the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as he gave up on the top job with the franchise's end of the campaign in IPL 2021. The 33-year-old Kohli led RCB from 2011-2021, though he became a permanent captain in IPL 2013. While the Bengaluru-based franchise did well under him in some seasons, with their best being the IPL 2016 final appearance, they remained trophy-less even during Kohli's decade-long tenure. Ahead of the commencement of the new IPL season, from March 26, Kohli reflected on IPL's overall journey, his family's presence and support whereas he also revealed the chat he had with his successor Faf du Plessis as soon the South African was roped in by the RCB franchise in the two-day IPL 15 mega auction (where Faf was bought for INR 70 million). ALSO READ | From Jasprit Bumrah to Kagiso Rabada: A look at five players who might win Purple Cap in IPL 2022 "Wow 15 [IPL season]! It's quite unbelievable IPL has come this far and yeah [I am here with] renewed energy because I am off a lot of responsibilities and duties and life is in a very good place. We have a child now, we have a family and for me it's all about going on about life with a lot of joy and happiness and watching our child grow and doing what I love, which is playing cricket," the 33-year old said. King Kohli talks about his renewed energy, the confidence he has in Faf, and more on @kreditbee presents Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2022 #Mission2022 @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/QQlaAFTpuO — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 22, 2022 × ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli to AB de Villiers - Superstar batters with most IPL hundreds "I messaged him as soon as he was picked for RCB. Sounded him off a little bit about what's to come. It was made official afterwards but I knew obviously that getting Faf at auction, the plan was very clear that we needed a leader in the change room and he commands that respect," he further added. Faf was recently announced as Kohli's successor at the popular franchise. He has his task cut out to motivate the troops and take them to their first-ever IPL championship in the forthcoming edition. RCB will play their season-opener versus Mayank Agarwal's Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 27 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. RCB squad for IPL 2022 Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey.

IPL 2022: Virat Kohli reveals chat with Faf du Plessis after he got picked by RCB in mega auction

A new-look Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take the field in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 this year. RCB will be led by their new captain Faf du Plessis, who has replaced Virat Kohli as the skipper of the side and the franchise will also be without one of their biggest superstars AB de Villiers, who has retired from cricket. This will be RCB's first season without Kohli as the captain of the side.

Kohli led the side for eight years since taking over the captaincy in 2013&nbsp;and had led RCB to playoffs in the last two seasons. However, the team failed to lift their maiden IPL trophy under the former skipper. With Du Plessis now in charge, RCB will be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes this year.

Du Plessis, who was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL mega auction last month, is expected to open the batting for the team in the upcoming season. Du Plessis, who was with four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings last season, enjoyed some of his best performances as an opener for the MS Dhoni-led side.

While there have been speculations that Kohli might pair up with Du Plessis at the top to open the innings for RCB in IPL 2022, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has suggested another name for the opening slot. Jaffer believes Kohli will be best suited to bat at number three where he can pace his innings well. The former India batter wants RCB to play uncapped Indian youngster Anuj Rawat as an opener.

“I also feel that Faf and Virat are similar kinds of players so Virat at No. 3 and Maxy (Glenn Maxwell) at No. 4 seems a better combination. Anuj Rawat, he’s a left-hander as well, bats in the powerplay for Delhi, opens in the [Syed] Mushtaq Ali [Trophy] - we could see him opening the batting and I would like to see Virat at No. 3," said Jaffer on EspnCricinfo.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-star-robin-uthappa-shuts-down-pakistani-journalist-over-tweet-comparing-ipl-with-psl-463954">CSK star Robin Uthappa shuts down Pakistani journalist over tweet comparing IPL with PSL</a>

Explaining the reason behind his suggestion to not open the batting with Kohli, Jaffer said the former RCB skipper has his own style of pacing his game and often tries to force himself a bit in the powerplay which is not his game.

“I prefer Virat Kohli batting at No. 3. I feel he can pace the game very well from there whether he comes to bat in the powerplay or after that," said Jaffer.

“He’s somebody who takes some time initially and then his strike rate progressively goes up. In the powerplay, it seems as he forces himself a bit to hit by using the crease which I don’t think is his game. He’s obviously been successful as well but I think he plays better at No. 3," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/expected-him-to-be-like-that-gautam-gambhir-opens-up-on-his-on-field-spat-with-virat-kohli-in-ipl-2013-463735">'Expected him to be like that': Gautam Gambhir opens up on his on-field spat with Virat Kohli in IPL 2013</a>

RCB will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27 before locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in their next game on March 30.

A new-look Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take the field in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 this year. RCB will be led by their new captain Faf du Plessis, who has replaced Virat Kohli as the skipper of the side and the franchise will also be without one of their biggest superstars AB de Villiers, who has retired from cricket.

A new-look Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take the field in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 this year. RCB will be led by their new captain Faf du Plessis, who has replaced Virat Kohli as the skipper of the side and the franchise will also be without one of their biggest superstars AB de Villiers, who has retired from cricket. This will be RCB's first season without Kohli as the captain of the side. Kohli led the side for eight years since taking over the captaincy in 2013 and had led RCB to playoffs in the last two seasons. However, the team failed to lift their maiden IPL trophy under the former skipper. With Du Plessis now in charge, RCB will be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes this year. Du Plessis, who was roped in by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL mega auction last month, is expected to open the batting for the team in the upcoming season. Du Plessis, who was with four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings last season, enjoyed some of his best performances as an opener for the MS Dhoni-led side. While there have been speculations that Kohli might pair up with Du Plessis at the top to open the innings for RCB in IPL 2022, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has suggested another name for the opening slot. Jaffer believes Kohli will be best suited to bat at number three where he can pace his innings well. The former India batter wants RCB to play uncapped Indian youngster Anuj Rawat as an opener. “I also feel that Faf and Virat are similar kinds of players so Virat at No. 3 and Maxy (Glenn Maxwell) at No. 4 seems a better combination. Anuj Rawat, he’s a left-hander as well, bats in the powerplay for Delhi, opens in the [Syed] Mushtaq Ali [Trophy] - we could see him opening the batting and I would like to see Virat at No. 3," said Jaffer on EspnCricinfo. Also Read: CSK star Robin Uthappa shuts down Pakistani journalist over tweet comparing IPL with PSL Explaining the reason behind his suggestion to not open the batting with Kohli, Jaffer said the former RCB skipper has his own style of pacing his game and often tries to force himself a bit in the powerplay which is not his game. “I prefer Virat Kohli batting at No. 3. I feel he can pace the game very well from there whether he comes to bat in the powerplay or after that," said Jaffer. “He’s somebody who takes some time initially and then his strike rate progressively goes up. In the powerplay, it seems as he forces himself a bit to hit by using the crease which I don’t think is his game. He’s obviously been successful as well but I think he plays better at No. 3," he added. Also Read: 'Expected him to be like that': Gautam Gambhir opens up on his on-field spat with Virat Kohli in IPL 2013 RCB will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27 before locking horns with Kolkata Knight Riders in their next game on March 30.

Not Virat Kohli! Wasim Jaffer names Indian youngster who should open with Faf du Plessis for RCB in IPL 2022

Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Glenn Maxwell tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Vini Raman on Friday (March 18). Maxwell and Raman got hitched in a private ceremony and shared pictures from their wedding on social media.

Maxwell and Raman have been dating for several years now and had gotten engaged in February 20220. The rumours of their wedding were doing the rounds for quite some time now after&nbsp;their wedding card in Tamil had leaked earlier this year. Sharing a picture of each other from their wedding ceremony the couple wrote - "Mr and Mrs Maxwell | 18.03.22," on Instagram to mark their new beginnings.

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Wishes have been pouring in from all corners for the newly-wed couple with several current and former cricketers congratulating the two. While Maxwell is an integral member of the Australian team in white-ball cricket, Raman is a pharmacist based in Melbourne. She hails from a Tamil family, which is settled in Melbourne.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuzvendra-chahal-to-open-with-jos-buttler-for-rr-in-ipl-2022-england-star-reacts-to-hilarious-tweet-watch-463681">Chahal to open with&nbsp;Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH</a>

Glenn Maxwell to play a key role for RCB in IPL 2022

Maxwell was among the top contenders to take over from Virat Kohli as the new captain of the RCB ahead of the new season. However, the franchise have decided to hand over the reins to Faf du Plessis, who was bought for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

Nonetheless, Maxwell remains an integral member of the RCB squad and is expected to play a key role for the franchise in the upcoming season. Maxwell enjoyed a brilliant campaign for RCB in IPL 2021 last year where he amassed 513 runs in 15 matches for the side at an average of over 42.

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Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Glenn Maxwell tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Vini Raman on Friday (March 18). Maxwell and Raman got hitched in a private ceremony and shared pictures from their wedding on social media.

Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Glenn Maxwell tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Vini Raman on Friday (March 18). Maxwell and Raman got hitched in a private ceremony and shared pictures from their wedding on social media. Maxwell and Raman have been dating for several years now and had gotten engaged in February 20220. The rumours of their wedding were doing the rounds for quite some time now after their wedding card in Tamil had leaked earlier this year. Sharing a picture of each other from their wedding ceremony the couple wrote - "Mr and Mrs Maxwell | 18.03.22," on Instagram to mark their new beginnings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by VINI (@vini.raman) × Wishes have been pouring in from all corners for the newly-wed couple with several current and former cricketers congratulating the two. While Maxwell is an integral member of the Australian team in white-ball cricket, Raman is a pharmacist based in Melbourne. She hails from a Tamil family, which is settled in Melbourne. Also Read: Chahal to open with Buttler for RR in IPL 2022? England star reacts to hilarious tweet - WATCH Glenn Maxwell to play a key role for RCB in IPL 2022 Maxwell was among the top contenders to take over from Virat Kohli as the new captain of the RCB ahead of the new season. However, the franchise have decided to hand over the reins to Faf du Plessis, who was bought for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. Nonetheless, Maxwell remains an integral member of the RCB squad and is expected to play a key role for the franchise in the upcoming season. Maxwell enjoyed a brilliant campaign for RCB in IPL 2021 last year where he amassed 513 runs in 15 matches for the side at an average of over 42.

RCB star Glenn Maxwell ties the knot with girlfriend Vini Raman ahead of IPL 2022

Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) camp ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Sundar was roped in by SRH for a sum of Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. Sundar is expected to be one of the key players for the Kane Williamson-led side in the upcoming season.

In a video shared by SRH on their social media handles, Sundar was welcomed by his SRH and Tamil Nadu teammate T Natarajan. Natarajan also put the spin all-rounder in a spot by asking him a cheeky question. The left-arm pacer asked Sundar if he was missing his former side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)?

Sundar, who had joined RCB in 2018, spent four seasons with the franchise before being released last year. He was later picked by SRH in the auction. Having spent four years at RCB, the franchise probably holds a special place in Sundar's heart. However, the Indian all-rounder came up with a hilarious response when asked if SRH was better than RCB.

'It's your first time with Sunrisers Hyderabad. All these years you were with RCB. So do you miss RCB of is this better?" - Natarajan can be heard asking Sundar. "This is very good," Sundar responds before the duo breaks into laughter.

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Oh Washington. Veedu mana Greeku Veerudu. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrangeArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OrangeArmy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReadyToRise?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ReadyToRise</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/n0zXm3u6AC">pic.twitter.com/n0zXm3u6AC</a>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-ipl-bullying-other-boards-aakash-chopra-reacts-as-sa-players-skip-bangladesh-tests-for-t20-league-463528">'Is IPL bullying other boards?': Aakash Chopra reacts as SA players skip Bangladesh Tests for T20 league</a>

Sundar had played for Rising Super Giants where he rose to prominence before being roped in by RCB in 2018. He has so far played 42 matches in his IPL career with 217 runs and 27 wickets to his name. The right-arm all-rounder has become a regular for India across formats and will be hoping to shine for his new IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming season.

Apart from Sundar, SRH also roped in some other quality all-rounders at the IPL 2022 mega auction in the form of&nbsp;Aiden Markram, Romario Shepherd and Abhishek Sharma among others. SRH will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 29.

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Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) camp ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Sundar was roped in by SRH for a sum of Rs 8.

Indian all-rounder Washington Sundar has joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) camp ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Sundar was roped in by SRH for a sum of Rs 8.75 crore (INR 87.5 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. Sundar is expected to be one of the key players for the Kane Williamson-led side in the upcoming season. In a video shared by SRH on their social media handles, Sundar was welcomed by his SRH and Tamil Nadu teammate T Natarajan. Natarajan also put the spin all-rounder in a spot by asking him a cheeky question. The left-arm pacer asked Sundar if he was missing his former side Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)? Sundar, who had joined RCB in 2018, spent four seasons with the franchise before being released last year. He was later picked by SRH in the auction. Having spent four years at RCB, the franchise probably holds a special place in Sundar's heart. However, the Indian all-rounder came up with a hilarious response when asked if SRH was better than RCB. 'It's your first time with Sunrisers Hyderabad. All these years you were with RCB. So do you miss RCB of is this better?" - Natarajan can be heard asking Sundar. "This is very good," Sundar responds before the duo breaks into laughter. Watch video: Oh Washington. Veedu mana Greeku Veerudu. #OrangeArmy #ReadyToRise #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/n0zXm3u6AC — SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 18, 2022 × Also Read: 'Is IPL bullying other boards?': Aakash Chopra reacts as SA players skip Bangladesh Tests for T20 league Sundar had played for Rising Super Giants where he rose to prominence before being roped in by RCB in 2018. He has so far played 42 matches in his IPL career with 217 runs and 27 wickets to his name. The right-arm all-rounder has become a regular for India across formats and will be hoping to shine for his new IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming season. Apart from Sundar, SRH also roped in some other quality all-rounders at the IPL 2022 mega auction in the form of Aiden Markram, Romario Shepherd and Abhishek Sharma among others. SRH will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Rajasthan Royals on March 29.

Do you miss RCB? Washington Sundar responds to T Natarajan's cheeky question after joining SRH - WATCH

The ardent fans of Virat Kohli have been patiently waiting for the superstar cricketer's 71st international ton. Kohli's last three-figure knock at the international level came in late 2019. Since then, he gave up Test and T20I captaincy whereas he was sacked as the ODI skipper for Rohit Sharma to take charge of Team India as full-time captain.

In the IPL, Kohli's last century came during the 2019 edition. While he has been among runs in the last two seasons, his strike-rate has gone down. In IPL 2021, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter amassed 405 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 119.46. In the previous season, he struck at 121.35. After giving up on RCB captaincy with the end of the last year's edition, his Bengaluru teammate and Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell feels Kohli will be at his usual best in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition with no additional pressure on him.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-hardik-pandya-top-5-cricketing-superstars-with-most-instagram-followers-460635">From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers</a>

Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Maxwell said, "He knows he's handing the captaincy over, which I think is potentially a big burden for him. It might have been something that's been weighing him down for a while and now that he's been able to release it, it might be dangerous news for opposition teams."

"It is amazing for him to be relaxed a bit and actually enjoy the next few years of his career without any of that sort of external pressure. I think playing against him in earlier days, he was a fiery competitor, getting in your face. He's always trying to impose himself on the game. Impose himself on the opposition," he further opined.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-to-be-a-trail-run-for-star-team-india-bowler-for-t20-world-cup-consideration-report-463388">IPL 2022 to be a trial run for star Team India bowler for T20 World Cup consideration: Report</a>

"Something I've noticed more from him this year is he's been really measured with his emotions. He's actually been really measured with his decision-making. He's certainly really surprised me and probably how close we've both gotten to each other as well this year. Being able to talk about the game in a calm manner," Maxwell added.

Faf du Plessis-led RCB will open their campaign in the upcoming IPL 2022 edition against Mayank Agarwal's Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 27 in match 3, at&nbsp;Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai. Will Kohli go bonkers with the bat this season? Only time will tell..

The ardent fans of Virat Kohli have been patiently waiting for the superstar cricketer's 71st international ton. Kohli's last three-figure knock at the international level came in late 2019.

The ardent fans of Virat Kohli have been patiently waiting for the superstar cricketer's 71st international ton. Kohli's last three-figure knock at the international level came in late 2019. Since then, he gave up Test and T20I captaincy whereas he was sacked as the ODI skipper for Rohit Sharma to take charge of Team India as full-time captain. In the IPL, Kohli's last century came during the 2019 edition. While he has been among runs in the last two seasons, his strike-rate has gone down. In IPL 2021, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter amassed 405 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 119.46. In the previous season, he struck at 121.35. After giving up on RCB captaincy with the end of the last year's edition, his Bengaluru teammate and Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell feels Kohli will be at his usual best in the forthcoming IPL 2022 edition with no additional pressure on him. ALSO READ | From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers Speaking on the RCB Podcast, Maxwell said, "He knows he's handing the captaincy over, which I think is potentially a big burden for him. It might have been something that's been weighing him down for a while and now that he's been able to release it, it might be dangerous news for opposition teams." "It is amazing for him to be relaxed a bit and actually enjoy the next few years of his career without any of that sort of external pressure. I think playing against him in earlier days, he was a fiery competitor, getting in your face. He's always trying to impose himself on the game. Impose himself on the opposition," he further opined. ALSO READ | IPL 2022 to be a trial run for star Team India bowler for T20 World Cup consideration: Report "Something I've noticed more from him this year is he's been really measured with his emotions. He's actually been really measured with his decision-making. He's certainly really surprised me and probably how close we've both gotten to each other as well this year. Being able to talk about the game in a calm manner," Maxwell added. Faf du Plessis-led RCB will open their campaign in the upcoming IPL 2022 edition against Mayank Agarwal's Punjab Kings (PBKS) on March 27 in match 3, at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai. Will Kohli go bonkers with the bat this season? Only time will tell..

'Might be dangerous news for oppositions': RCB star Maxwell explains why Kohli can be lethal in IPL 2022

Faf Du Plessis recalled his initial days at his former side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he was on Saturday appointed as the new captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Du Plessis, who has never led an IPL team in the past, will be replacing Virat Kohli as RCB's new captain in IPL 2022.

Du Plessis might not have led an IPL team but is one of the most experienced cricketers in the league and has won the title twice as a player with CSK. He has also led South Africa in the past and has significant experience as a leader in international cricket. Du Plessis spent nine seasons with CSK where he played&nbsp;under the legendary MS Dhoni.

Du Plessis admitted he has a quite similar captaincy style to Dhoni, who is known for his ability to stay calm under pressure. However, the former CSK batter said when he first arrived at the franchise he found Dhoni's style of leading the side complete opposite of what he had thought captaincy would look like.

“The crazy thing is, when I started over in Chennai, I had this idea of what captaincy looks like. And MS was the complete opposite of what I thought it would have looked like! Because my culture was South African, right? So I came to this environment and I was like, ‘this guy was completely different than I thought what it should be!’” Faf said in an interview for RCB.

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Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mike-hesson-explains-why-rcb-picked-faf-du-plessis-over-maxwell-and-karthik-to-lead-the-side-in-ipl-2022-461839">&nbsp;Hesson explains why RCB picked Du Plessis over Maxwell and Karthik to lead the side in IPL 2022</a>

Du Plessis, who played an instrumental role in CSK's fourth IPL title triumph last year with a staggering 633 runs in the season, said he has been privileged to have played under Dhoni and learnt from one of the best captains around. The former South Africa skipper said he would like to utilise his experience and learnings but not try to be like Dhoni or Kohli.

“What it taught me was that there were different styles, but it is important that you need to be (have) your own style. Because that’s the thing that always comes through when the pressure is on,” said the RCB captain.

“So, I can’t try to be Virat Kohli because I’m not Virat Kohli. I can’t try to be MS Dhoni. But there are things I’ve learned that helped me grow my leadership style and mature. So, I’m grateful for that journey,” he added.

Faf Du Plessis recalled his initial days at his former side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he was on Saturday appointed as the new captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Faf Du Plessis recalled his initial days at his former side Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after he was on Saturday appointed as the new captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Du Plessis, who has never led an IPL team in the past, will be replacing Virat Kohli as RCB's new captain in IPL 2022. Du Plessis might not have led an IPL team but is one of the most experienced cricketers in the league and has won the title twice as a player with CSK. He has also led South Africa in the past and has significant experience as a leader in international cricket. Du Plessis spent nine seasons with CSK where he played under the legendary MS Dhoni. Du Plessis admitted he has a quite similar captaincy style to Dhoni, who is known for his ability to stay calm under pressure. However, the former CSK batter said when he first arrived at the franchise he found Dhoni's style of leading the side complete opposite of what he had thought captaincy would look like. “The crazy thing is, when I started over in Chennai, I had this idea of what captaincy looks like. And MS was the complete opposite of what I thought it would have looked like! Because my culture was South African, right? So I came to this environment and I was like, ‘this guy was completely different than I thought what it should be!’” Faf said in an interview for RCB. × Also Read: Hesson explains why RCB picked Du Plessis over Maxwell and Karthik to lead the side in IPL 2022 Du Plessis, who played an instrumental role in CSK's fourth IPL title triumph last year with a staggering 633 runs in the season, said he has been privileged to have played under Dhoni and learnt from one of the best captains around. The former South Africa skipper said he would like to utilise his experience and learnings but not try to be like Dhoni or Kohli. “What it taught me was that there were different styles, but it is important that you need to be (have) your own style. Because that’s the thing that always comes through when the pressure is on,” said the RCB captain. “So, I can’t try to be Virat Kohli because I’m not Virat Kohli. I can’t try to be MS Dhoni. But there are things I’ve learned that helped me grow my leadership style and mature. So, I’m grateful for that journey,” he added.

MS Dhoni was completely opposite of what I thought captaincy would have looked like: Faf du Plessis

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday (March 13) confirmed the appointment of Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Du Plessis will replace Virat Kohli, who had stepped down from captaincy following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. While there were speculations Kohli could return to captaincy or Glenn Maxwell can take charge, RCB's announcement put to rest all such rumours.

Du Plessis was signed by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month and ever since then, he had become one of the frontrunners to become the new RCB skipper. However, the likes of Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik, who have led IPL teams in the past, were also in contention to replace Kohli as the new captain.

RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson explained why the franchise decided to go with Du Plessis as captain over the likes of Maxwell and Karthik. When asked if the franchise had bid for Du Plessis at the mega auction keeping the captaincy decision in mind, Hesson admitted the franchise saw the former South Africa skipper as part of their leadership group.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/faf-du-plessis-replaces-virat-kohli-as-rcb-captain-ahead-of-ipl-2022-461649">Faf du Plessis replaces Virat Kohli as RCB captain ahead of IPL 2022</a>

"It was a little bit of both. We obviously had Maxwell and Virat to have huge captaincy experience that we retained. We felt within our leadership group we wanted to expand on that and also Harshal Patel as well. Who we wanted to buy back. So it was more about growing our leadership group and carrying on from that," said Hesson.

"Obviously, Faf was right up the top of that list in terms of whom we were wanting to get. It was little bit of both. I know how well respected he is. I know tactically sound he is. We have the likes of Virat, Maxi (Maxwell), DK who is new to the group," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/couldnt-be-happier-to-pass-on-baton-says-virat-kohli-on-faf-du-plessis-appointment-as-rcb-captain-461728">Couldn't be happier to pass on baton, says Virat Kohli on Faf du Plessis' appointment as RCB captain</a>

With many of the opinion that having an overseas captain might act as a limitation going forward as only four overseas players are allowed in the playing XI, Hesson said he had no doubts that Du Plessis will play all games for the franchise. Hesson also called Du Plessis the most suitable candidate for the captaincy role.

"When you look to decide who's the most suitable candidate for the role, you don't necessarily decide whether they're an Indian player or an overseas player. Sure the seven Indians and there's four overseas -- we know the maths," said Hesson.

"The reality is that Faf is good enough to play every single game anyway. So that's not a question. Therefore you just look at who's the guy you gonna work with the leaders in the group and get the best out of the younger guys, build relationships and help develop that RCB culture that we want. We just want the best candidate for the job. And there's no doubt in our mind that Faf is the guy for that," he added.

RCB, who are yet to win their maiden IPL title, will hope for a change in fortunes this season after appointing Du Plessis as the new leader of the side.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday (March 13) confirmed the appointment of Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday (March 13) confirmed the appointment of Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Du Plessis will replace Virat Kohli, who had stepped down from captaincy following the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. While there were speculations Kohli could return to captaincy or Glenn Maxwell can take charge, RCB's announcement put to rest all such rumours. Du Plessis was signed by RCB for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month and ever since then, he had become one of the frontrunners to become the new RCB skipper. However, the likes of Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik, who have led IPL teams in the past, were also in contention to replace Kohli as the new captain. RCB's Director of Cricket Mike Hesson explained why the franchise decided to go with Du Plessis as captain over the likes of Maxwell and Karthik. When asked if the franchise had bid for Du Plessis at the mega auction keeping the captaincy decision in mind, Hesson admitted the franchise saw the former South Africa skipper as part of their leadership group. Also Read: Faf du Plessis replaces Virat Kohli as RCB captain ahead of IPL 2022 "It was a little bit of both. We obviously had Maxwell and Virat to have huge captaincy experience that we retained. We felt within our leadership group we wanted to expand on that and also Harshal Patel as well. Who we wanted to buy back. So it was more about growing our leadership group and carrying on from that," said Hesson. "Obviously, Faf was right up the top of that list in terms of whom we were wanting to get. It was little bit of both. I know how well respected he is. I know tactically sound he is. We have the likes of Virat, Maxi (Maxwell), DK who is new to the group," he added. Also Read: Couldn't be happier to pass on baton, says Virat Kohli on Faf du Plessis' appointment as RCB captain With many of the opinion that having an overseas captain might act as a limitation going forward as only four overseas players are allowed in the playing XI, Hesson said he had no doubts that Du Plessis will play all games for the franchise. Hesson also called Du Plessis the most suitable candidate for the captaincy role. "When you look to decide who's the most suitable candidate for the role, you don't necessarily decide whether they're an Indian player or an overseas player. Sure the seven Indians and there's four overseas -- we know the maths," said Hesson. "The reality is that Faf is good enough to play every single game anyway. So that's not a question. Therefore you just look at who's the guy you gonna work with the leaders in the group and get the best out of the younger guys, build relationships and help develop that RCB culture that we want. We just want the best candidate for the job. And there's no doubt in our mind that Faf is the guy for that," he added. RCB, who are yet to win their maiden IPL title, will hope for a change in fortunes this season after appointing Du Plessis as the new leader of the side.

Mike Hesson explains why RCB picked Faf du Plessis over Maxwell and Karthik to lead the side in IPL 2022

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday named Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. RCB had roped in the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. Du Plessis will replace Virat Kohli as the new skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Kohli had stepped down as the captain of the side after the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. However, there were speculations that RCB are yet to accept his resignation as captain of the side and might convince him to take the leadership role again for the franchise. However, Du Plessis' appointment has put to rest the speculations surrounding Kohli's return as captain. 
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The Leader of the Pride is here! 
 
Captain of RCB, <a href="https://twitter.com/faf1307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@faf1307</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBCaptain?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBCaptain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBUnbox?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBUnbox</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForOur12thMan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForOur12thMan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnboxTheBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnboxTheBold</a> <a href="https://t.co/UfmrHBrZcb">pic.twitter.com/UfmrHBrZcb</a>
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Du Plessis pipped the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik in the race to become the new captain of the franchise after Kohli's decision to leave the post. Du Plessis will be leading a side for the first time in the Indian Premier League despite having been part of the league for several years now.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-group-b-schedule-a-look-at-complete-fixtures-of-csk-srh-rcb-pbks-and-gujarat-titans-459631">&nbsp;IPL 2022 Group B schedule: A look at complete fixtures of CSK, SRH, RCB, PBKS and Gujarat Titans</a>

The former South Africa skipper, however, has significant captaincy experience in international cricket. He led the country in 115 international matches bagging 81 wins. He had stepped down as South Africa's captain in February 2020 before retiring from international cricket.

Du Plessis has won the IPL thrice with CSK and his experience will come in handy for RCB, who are still hunting for their maiden IPL title. RCB will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27. They are part of Group B along with CSK, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans. 
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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday named Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. RCB had roped in the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday named Faf du Plessis as their new captain ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. RCB had roped in the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter for a sum of Rs 7 crore (INR 70 million) at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. Du Plessis will replace Virat Kohli as the new skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kohli had stepped down as the captain of the side after the conclusion of IPL 2021 last year. However, there were speculations that RCB are yet to accept his resignation as captain of the side and might convince him to take the leadership role again for the franchise. However, Du Plessis' appointment has put to rest the speculations surrounding Kohli's return as captain. The Leader of the Pride is here! Captain of RCB, @faf1307! #PlayBold #RCBCaptain #RCBUnbox #ForOur12thMan #UnboxTheBold pic.twitter.com/UfmrHBrZcb — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 12, 2022 × Du Plessis pipped the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik in the race to become the new captain of the franchise after Kohli's decision to leave the post. Du Plessis will be leading a side for the first time in the Indian Premier League despite having been part of the league for several years now. Also Read: IPL 2022 Group B schedule: A look at complete fixtures of CSK, SRH, RCB, PBKS and Gujarat Titans The former South Africa skipper, however, has significant captaincy experience in international cricket. He led the country in 115 international matches bagging 81 wins. He had stepped down as South Africa's captain in February 2020 before retiring from international cricket. Du Plessis has won the IPL thrice with CSK and his experience will come in handy for RCB, who are still hunting for their maiden IPL title. RCB will open their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27. They are part of Group B along with CSK, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans.

Faf du Plessis replaces Virat Kohli as RCB captain ahead of IPL 2022

Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, there is only one franchise who is&nbsp;yet to announce its captain. The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have not yet announced their skipper for the forthcoming season, which is set to get underway on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.&nbsp;

For the unversed, the Bengaluru-based franchise are set to make some major announcements -- regarding their new captain and jersey. Prior to it, the popular team dropped a special video, on Twitter,&nbsp;featuring ex-skipper Virat Kohli.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-on-cusp-of-surpassing-mark-waugh-gary-sobers-in-elite-list-as-india-take-on-sri-lanka-in-2nd-test-460878">Virat Kohli on cusp of surpassing Mark Waugh, Gary Sobers in elite list as India take on Sri Lanka in 2nd Test</a>

"Hi guys, a few updates for you guys. As you know, we are going to start our season pretty soon. [It’s] something I am really excited for. As I said, renewed energy. Really looking forward to this season. First and foremost, the most important news is that...." Kohli said in the video.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Renewed Energy. Excited for the IPL season. There’s an important news...” - Virat Kohli has a message for all of you RCB fans! 🗣 
 
Location: Museum Cross Road, Church Street, Bengaluru 
Date: 12.03.2022 
Time: 12pm to 8pm<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreChallengers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreChallengers</a> <a href="https://t.co/o26eA2bOq3">pic.twitter.com/o26eA2bOq3</a>
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1501842959586979841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The RCB camp is set to share some major updates, in the run-up to the ten-team tournament, at an event that they have been promoting as 'RCB unbox',&nbsp;in Bengaluru. Despite being in the garden city, Kohli won't be able to attend the event as he will be involved in the second and final Test between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 12 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Glenn Maxwell -- whom the franchise retained for INR 110 million (INR 11 crore) -- Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik are being touted as the frontrunners to take over as the RCB captain. While many former cricketers still want Kohli to reclaim the top post, despite his resignation following the last season, the 33-year-old won't return as&nbsp;captain.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-virat-kohli-ms-dhoni-to-hardik-pandya-top-5-cricketing-superstars-with-most-instagram-followers-460635">From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers</a>

"I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it," Kohli has recently said on "The RCB Podcast".

"Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'. There's nothing to be shocked about. I explain to people, I wanted some space and I wanted to manage my workload and the story ends there," he added.

RCB will open their campaign in IPL 2022 on March 27 against Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, there is only one franchise who is yet to announce its captain. The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have not yet announced their skipper for the forthcoming season, which is set to get underway on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, there is only one franchise who is yet to announce its captain. The three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have not yet announced their skipper for the forthcoming season, which is set to get underway on March 26 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. For the unversed, the Bengaluru-based franchise are set to make some major announcements -- regarding their new captain and jersey. Prior to it, the popular team dropped a special video, on Twitter, featuring ex-skipper Virat Kohli. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli on cusp of surpassing Mark Waugh, Gary Sobers in elite list as India take on Sri Lanka in 2nd Test "Hi guys, a few updates for you guys. As you know, we are going to start our season pretty soon. [It’s] something I am really excited for. As I said, renewed energy. Really looking forward to this season. First and foremost, the most important news is that...." Kohli said in the video. “Renewed Energy. Excited for the IPL season. There’s an important news...” - Virat Kohli has a message for all of you RCB fans! 🗣 Location: Museum Cross Road, Church Street, Bengaluru Date: 12.03.2022 Time: 12pm to 8pm#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/o26eA2bOq3 — Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 10, 2022 × The RCB camp is set to share some major updates, in the run-up to the ten-team tournament, at an event that they have been promoting as 'RCB unbox', in Bengaluru. Despite being in the garden city, Kohli won't be able to attend the event as he will be involved in the second and final Test between India and Sri Lanka, which gets underway on March 12 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Glenn Maxwell -- whom the franchise retained for INR 110 million (INR 11 crore) -- Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik are being touted as the frontrunners to take over as the RCB captain. While many former cricketers still want Kohli to reclaim the top post, despite his resignation following the last season, the 33-year-old won't return as captain. ALSO READ | From Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni to Hardik Pandya: Top 5 cricketing superstars with most Instagram followers "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it," Kohli has recently said on "The RCB Podcast". "Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'. There's nothing to be shocked about. I explain to people, I wanted some space and I wanted to manage my workload and the story ends there," he added. RCB will open their campaign in IPL 2022 on March 27 against Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

WATCH: RCB drop special video featuring ex-captain Virat Kohli before major announcements on March 12

Virat Kohli had dropped a bomb by announcing that he will step aside as the Royal Challengers Bangalore&nbsp;(RCB) captain when the second and final leg of IPL 2021 kicked off last year, in the UAE. After RCB lost the Eliminator to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kohli's captaincy tenure for the three-time runners-up finally came to an end.

Kohli captained the side from 2011&nbsp;-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. Under his leadership, the Bengaluru-based franchise&nbsp;won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. Their best season under Kohli came in 2016 when they lost the season-finale to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).&nbsp;

Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, RCB remain the only team who have not announced their captain yet. After the mega auction, they added some new faces to the squad and have some captaincy contenders in the form of Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik whereas some feel Kohli might also return to the top job if he wishes to.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-made-me-look-like-a-fool-when-virat-kohli-recalled-his-face-off-with-shane-warne-during-ipl-2009-459943">'He made me look like a fool': When Virat Kohli recalled his face-off with Shane Warne during IPL 2009</a>

Nonetheless, former RCB skipper -- and Kohli's predecessor -- Daniel Vettori doesn't feel the star player will take up the captaincy post once again. "No [Virat Kohli will not be the RCB captain again]. I think it is as simple as that. I don't think that ever works, let alone in franchise cricket or international cricket. Once the captain is moved on, the right thing is for him to move on," Vettori told&nbsp;ESPNCricinfo.

Vettori further revealed his choice and said, "I think they will look at Kohli, Maxwell and Du Plessis as the leadership group and even Dinesh Karthik. I think Faf will step in for Maxwell. But if they win the first three games, maybe they will continue on with him. I think Maxwell is a shorter long-term. Three years is a long-term time in the IPL. They will look at Maxwell as the three-year cycle and hopefully he continues to play as he did in the last IPL. They will factor that in that he will be the leader for three years."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/royal-challengers-bangalore-complete-squad-for-ipl-2022-faf-du-plessis-to-captain-pace-heavy-line-up-453152">Royal Challengers Bangalore complete squad for IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis to captain pace-heavy line-up?</a>

Complete squad of RCB for IPL 2022:

Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma,&nbsp;David Willey.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli had dropped a bomb by announcing that he will step aside as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain when the second and final leg of IPL 2021 kicked off last year, in the UAE.

Virat Kohli had dropped a bomb by announcing that he will step aside as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain when the second and final leg of IPL 2021 kicked off last year, in the UAE. After RCB lost the Eliminator to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kohli's captaincy tenure for the three-time runners-up finally came to an end. Kohli captained the side from 2011 -2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. Under his leadership, the Bengaluru-based franchise won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. Their best season under Kohli came in 2016 when they lost the season-finale to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Ahead of the IPL 2022 edition, RCB remain the only team who have not announced their captain yet. After the mega auction, they added some new faces to the squad and have some captaincy contenders in the form of Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik whereas some feel Kohli might also return to the top job if he wishes to. ALSO READ | 'He made me look like a fool': When Virat Kohli recalled his face-off with Shane Warne during IPL 2009 Nonetheless, former RCB skipper -- and Kohli's predecessor -- Daniel Vettori doesn't feel the star player will take up the captaincy post once again. "No [Virat Kohli will not be the RCB captain again]. I think it is as simple as that. I don't think that ever works, let alone in franchise cricket or international cricket. Once the captain is moved on, the right thing is for him to move on," Vettori told ESPNCricinfo. Vettori further revealed his choice and said, "I think they will look at Kohli, Maxwell and Du Plessis as the leadership group and even Dinesh Karthik. I think Faf will step in for Maxwell. But if they win the first three games, maybe they will continue on with him. I think Maxwell is a shorter long-term. Three years is a long-term time in the IPL. They will look at Maxwell as the three-year cycle and hopefully he continues to play as he did in the last IPL. They will factor that in that he will be the leader for three years." ALSO READ | Royal Challengers Bangalore complete squad for IPL 2022: Faf du Plessis to captain pace-heavy line-up? Complete squad of RCB for IPL 2022: Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Faf du Plessis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Josh Hazlewood, Shahbaz Ahamad, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Behrendorff, Suyash Prabhudessai, Chama Milind, Aneeshwar Gautam, Karn Sharma, David Willey.

Daniel Vettori gives his verdict on whether Virat Kohli will return to RCB captaincy in IPL 2022

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24). The final decision regarding the commencement of the 15th edition was expected after the IPL general council meeting, which was held on Thursday.

Post the IPL GC meeting, the final date is now out as the upcoming season will begin in just over a month.&nbsp; "The IPL will kick off on March 26, the full schedule will come soon. We will also have crowds but as per the policy of the Maharashtra government. Whether it will be 25 or 50 per cent of the stadium capacity will be decided by the government instruction," the IPL chairman told Cricbuzz.

The ten-team showpiece event will be held in India, with Maharashtra hosting the league stage. Mumbai and Pune will host the 70-game league stage, with 55 games to be held in Mumbai's three venues and the remaining 15 in Pune (20 at the Wankhede Stadium, 15 at Brabourne Stadium, 20 more at DY Patil Stadium and&nbsp;15 at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) ground in Gahunje, Pune).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mumbai-and-pune-to-host-league-stage-final-decision-on-starting-date-venues-soon-report-455709">IPL 2022: Mumbai and Pune to host league stage; final decision on starting date, venues soon - Report</a>

The venues for the playoffs are not yet decided. However, Ahmedabad remains a frontrunner to host the knockouts.&nbsp;When asked about it, Patel said, "We will decide about the play-offs later." The full schedule of the IPL 2022 edition will be out soon.

This year's season will see two new teams making their respective debuts, i.e. the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/theres-nothing-to-be-shocked-about-virat-kohli-breaks-silence-on-decision-of-quitting-as-rcb-captain-455994">There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain</a>

The IPL 15 final will be held on May 29. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having won the tournament for the fourth time during last year's edition.

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24).

The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will begin on March 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have confirmed on Thursday evening (February 24). The final decision regarding the commencement of the 15th edition was expected after the IPL general council meeting, which was held on Thursday. Post the IPL GC meeting, the final date is now out as the upcoming season will begin in just over a month. "The IPL will kick off on March 26, the full schedule will come soon. We will also have crowds but as per the policy of the Maharashtra government. Whether it will be 25 or 50 per cent of the stadium capacity will be decided by the government instruction," the IPL chairman told Cricbuzz. The ten-team showpiece event will be held in India, with Maharashtra hosting the league stage. Mumbai and Pune will host the 70-game league stage, with 55 games to be held in Mumbai's three venues and the remaining 15 in Pune (20 at the Wankhede Stadium, 15 at Brabourne Stadium, 20 more at DY Patil Stadium and 15 at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) ground in Gahunje, Pune). ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mumbai and Pune to host league stage; final decision on starting date, venues soon - Report The venues for the playoffs are not yet decided. However, Ahmedabad remains a frontrunner to host the knockouts. When asked about it, Patel said, "We will decide about the play-offs later." The full schedule of the IPL 2022 edition will be out soon. This year's season will see two new teams making their respective debuts, i.e. the KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans. ALSO READ | There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain The IPL 15 final will be held on May 29. The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending champions, having won the tournament for the fourth time during last year's edition.

IPL 2022 to kick off from March 26, league stage to be played in Mumbai, Pune

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition.

In a video shared by the RCB franchise on Twitter, Kohli told, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me. I spoke to the management this evening. This was something that was on my mind... I needed the space to refresh, regroup and be absolutely clear in how to move forward."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-shikhar-dhawan-mayank-agarwal-likely-to-be-named-punjab-kings-captain-ahead-of-ipl-2022-report-455975">Not Shikhar Dhawan! Mayank Agarwal likely to be named Punjab Kings' captain ahead of IPL 2022 - Report</a>

Recently, on "The RCB Podcast", Kohli explained his decision behind quitting as Bengaluru's captain and said, "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it. Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'."

He further pointed out, "There was actually nothing at all. I keep my life very simple and basic, when I wanted to make a decision, I made a decision and I announced it. I didn’t want to think about it and contemplate it for another year. That would’ve done nothing to me, nothing to the environment I’m part of. Quality of life is something very important to me. And the quality of cricket is something very important to me.

"Over a period of time, you want to do what you’re doing day-in-and-day-out and you want to do as much as you can, but at the end of the day, you have to realize that quality is far more important than quantity," added the 33-year-old Kohli.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-has-got-ice-running-through-his-veins-virat-kohli-is-a-superhuman-shane-watson-455678">MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, Virat Kohli is a superhuman: Shane Watson</a>

Under Kohli, the three-time runners-up RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the Bengaluru-based franchise&nbsp;from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where the&nbsp;David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat them by 8 runs.

At present, Kohli is enjoying a bio-bubble break and won't take part in the India-Sri Lanka T20Is, starting on February 24. He will return for the two Tests between both sides, which wil get underway on March 04.

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition.

Virat Kohli dropped a bomb on the day the second and final leg of the IPL 2021 edition commenced in the UAE, i.e. on September 19. Back then, Kohli revealed that he won't be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise after the end of the 14th edition. In a video shared by the RCB franchise on Twitter, Kohli told, "This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me. I spoke to the management this evening. This was something that was on my mind... I needed the space to refresh, regroup and be absolutely clear in how to move forward." ALSO READ | Not Shikhar Dhawan! Mayank Agarwal likely to be named Punjab Kings' captain ahead of IPL 2022 - Report Recently, on "The RCB Podcast", Kohli explained his decision behind quitting as Bengaluru's captain and said, "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it. Because it’s very difficult for people to understand your decisions unless they are in your situation. From the outside, people have their own expectations ‘Oh! How did that happen? We are so shocked'." He further pointed out, "There was actually nothing at all. I keep my life very simple and basic, when I wanted to make a decision, I made a decision and I announced it. I didn’t want to think about it and contemplate it for another year. That would’ve done nothing to me, nothing to the environment I’m part of. Quality of life is something very important to me. And the quality of cricket is something very important to me. "Over a period of time, you want to do what you’re doing day-in-and-day-out and you want to do as much as you can, but at the end of the day, you have to realize that quality is far more important than quantity," added the 33-year-old Kohli. ALSO READ | MS Dhoni has got ice running through his veins, Virat Kohli is a superhuman: Shane Watson Under Kohli, the three-time runners-up RCB won 64 games in 140 matches, losing as many as 69 fixtures. The 33-year-old captained the Bengaluru-based franchise from 2011-2021 (becoming the full-time skipper since 2013) but couldn't lead them to the coveted title. In 2016, Kohli-led RCB played the season-finale where the David Warner's Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) beat them by 8 runs. At present, Kohli is enjoying a bio-bubble break and won't take part in the India-Sri Lanka T20Is, starting on February 24. He will return for the two Tests between both sides, which wil get underway on March 04.

There’s nothing to be shocked about: Virat Kohli breaks silence on decision of quitting as RCB captain

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a huge hit. After the dust has settled on the mega auction, the wait is for the IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India in the last week of March. As per the&nbsp;latest report, Mumbai is set to host the majority of games in the league stage, along with Pune, whereas the tournament is set to conclude on May 29.&nbsp;

While a final decision is still pending, a report in Cricbuzz has pointed out that Mumbai will host 55 games in the 70-match league stage whereas Pune is set to get 15 games from the initial stage of the showpiece event.&nbsp;Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium -- in Mumbai -- and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host the league stage although&nbsp;nothing is decided on the playoffs' venues. However, the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, in Ahmedabad, remains a frontrunner&nbsp;for the knockouts.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-mega-event-to-be-held-in-india-franchises-eager-for-bcci-to-finalise-venues-report-449770">IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report</a>

It is being reported that two dates are being considered for the commencement of the 15th edition in India. While the official broadcasters want the upcoming season to kick off on March 26 (i.e. a Saturday), another option suggests that IPL 2022 will start on March 27 (Sunday). A final decision on the full schedule, venues and dates is expected to be out at the forthcoming IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting.&nbsp;

For the unversed, the meeting is set to take place on Thursday (February 24).

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a huge hit. After the dust has settled on the mega auction, the wait is for the IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India in the last week of March.

The IPL 2022 mega auction was a huge hit. After the dust has settled on the mega auction, the wait is for the IPL 2022 edition, which is set to be held in India in the last week of March. As per the latest report, Mumbai is set to host the majority of games in the league stage, along with Pune, whereas the tournament is set to conclude on May 29. While a final decision is still pending, a report in Cricbuzz has pointed out that Mumbai will host 55 games in the 70-match league stage whereas Pune is set to get 15 games from the initial stage of the showpiece event. Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium -- in Mumbai -- and the MCA Stadium in Pune will host the league stage although nothing is decided on the playoffs' venues. However, the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, in Ahmedabad, remains a frontrunner for the knockouts. ALSO READ | IPL 2022: Mega event to be held in India; franchises eager for BCCI to finalise venues - Report It is being reported that two dates are being considered for the commencement of the 15th edition in India. While the official broadcasters want the upcoming season to kick off on March 26 (i.e. a Saturday), another option suggests that IPL 2022 will start on March 27 (Sunday). A final decision on the full schedule, venues and dates is expected to be out at the forthcoming IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting. For the unversed, the meeting is set to take place on Thursday (February 24).

IPL 2022: Mumbai and Pune to host league stage; final decision on starting date, venues soon - Report

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