"I had packed my bags in April itself" - Virat Kohli opens up on RCB's sensational IPL 2024 comeback

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli revealed that he had given up on the hope of qualifying for the IPL 2024 playoffs in the month of April. RCB had quite a horrific start to their tournament with seven losses from their first eight games.

However, they have remarkably won their last five games on the trot and find themselves in a genuine situation of qualifying for the playoffs if they beat the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday (May 18) and better the latter's net run rate.

In a video on Jio Cinema alongside former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, here's what Virat Kohli had to say about RCB's turnaround:

"I had packed my bags in April itself, thinking there was no chance of us qualifying. See where we are standing now. It's amazing how this game can turn, and what is the explanation for that? There is no explanation.

"You are playing instinctively, having fun, and you've come to this situation. One should never assume that something else is going to happen."

Virat Kohli is also aware that Saturday's game could be the last time that he shares the field with legendary CSK wicketkeeper MS Dhoni.

The duo share a great bond both on and off the field and Kohli understands how big the occasion could get in terms of fans wanting to see the two stars share some heartwarming moments.

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Virat Kohli on his loyalty for RCB

Kohli has been pretty vocal about his loyalty to RCB and how he intends to finish his IPL career playing for just one franchise. While he understands that winning the trophy is of utmost importance, Kohli also shed light on the other aspects that give him happiness at the Royal Challengers.

On this, he stated:

"Things that are special are the connection you have with the fans, the franchise, or your camaraderie with the players. Experiencing these things for such a long time is special in itself. Not everyone gets this. There is always a chance of the franchise not retaining you, or you asking for your release."

Kohli also spoke about Suresh Raina and how the latter had to play for the Gujarat Lions for a couple of years. He is thankful that he got the opportunity to play for RCB for so long and is hopeful of continuing to do so until he hangs up his boots.