It was a big promise from the skipper, Virat Kohli when he said that he will repay the love to the fans of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by never leaving the franchise till the time he is playing the cash-rich league. RCB is yet to win lift the coveted trophy despite making it to three finals.

During a recent live Instagram chat with his RCB teammate AB de Villiers, Kohli spoke about the emotional connect he shares with the Bangalore-based franchise. He said, “It has been such an amazing journey. It is always going to be our dream, winning the IPL together. There is no scenario where I could think of leaving the team ever. You can feel emotional about the season not going well but till the time I am playing IPL, I am never leaving this team. The fans, their loyalty has been amazing.”

ALSO READ: Kuldeep Yadav Stresses on MS Dhoni’s Influence on Him

Responding to Kohli’s feelings towards RCB, De Villiers also said that the support from the fans has been immense over the past nine years. He joked that Kohli, of course, has the luxury of a safe place in the side which is not the case with the others like him who have to be consistent in order to retain their berth in the squad.

ABD said, “Same for me. I never want to leave RCB but to do that I got to keep scoring runs. I am not the captain you see.”

Both recalled their early days in international cricket and their growth as cricketers and friends. Virat also acknowledged the contribution of Mark Boucher, Gary Kirsten, and Duncan Fletcher early on in his international career.

When asked about his favorite knock against India, De Villiers picked the 119 at Wankhede in the 2015 series decider as his best knock against India. Kohli picked the 119 he scored in Johannesburg Test in 2013.

ALSO READ: Brett Lee Feels Virat Needs Metal Strength To Surpass Sachin

ABD said, “I was always really motivated to win the series after 2-2. I was incredibly motivated to do something special.”