IPL 2020: Virat Kohli hits the nets after five months
Indian captain Virat Kohli returned to nets as the Royal Challengers Bangalore contingent commenced training for the upcoming IPL edition in UAE. Upon his return, Kohli admitted he was "pretty scared" to hit the nets for the first time in five months. However, he went on to say that it was "better than expected". Here is more on the same.
Hadn't picked the bat in five months, says Kohli
"(It went) much better than expected, to be honest. I was pretty scared. I hadn't picked up a bat for five months, but yeah it came out better than I thought, to be honest," Kohli was quoted as saying by the RCB's website.
The players who attended the training session
Besides Kohli, the net session was attended by South African legend Dale Steyn and RCB team director Mike Hesson. The spin trio of Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Nadeem and a few pacers also trained along with Kohli. Notably, the Indian skipper seemed satisfied with the spinners following the session. "The spinners looked pretty good for day one," added Kohli.
The importance of training during lockdown
Kohli described how staying fit through the course of lockdown helped him stay focused in his first net session after the hiatus. "I've trained quite a bit during the lockdown, so I'm feeling quite fit and that helps. Because the body is light and you react better, I feel like I have more time on the ball. That's a big plus," he stated.
Kohli will aim to win the IPL for RCB
Virat Kohli remains the only player to have represented a single franchise in 12 straight seasons, since the inception of IPL. Kohli, who was named captain of RCB in 2013, has been IPL's leading run-scorer with 5,412 runs from 177 matches at an average of 37.84. Despite his phenomenal attributes, RCB's quest for maiden IPL title still continues.
Mumbai Indians and RR also begin training
The RCB squad arrived in Dubai last week before undergoing the mandatory quarantine period. Among other teams, the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals have already conducted their first net session in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. The Delhi Capitals too hit the ground on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, the cash-rich league will be underway on September 19.
