'People were not recognising us, it was a surreal experience', Kohli opens up on his 2-month break

Bengaluru, March 26 (IANS) After a match-winning knock of 77 to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinch a four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS), Virat Kohli opened up on his two-month break when he welcomed his second child alongside his wife Anushka. He revealed how he enjoyed not being treated like a celebrity during the hiatus.

Kohli returned to the playing arena at the IPL 2024 , after he skipped India's home Test series against England to spend some time with his family

With the win on Monday night, RCB opened their account in IPL 2024 after suffering defeat in the season's opener against Chennai Super Kings.

"We were not in the country. We were at a place where people were not recognising us. Just time together as a family, just to feel normal for two months. For me, for us as a family, it was a surreal experience... I couldn't have been more grateful to God for the opportunity that I got to spend time with my family," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

"And yeah, just the place that we were in, I was telling the guys that when we came back, the voices back home felt that much louder," Kohli said. "I couldn't look up because I was just not used to being called my name for two months. And then immediately you hear these loud noises and then you're back in it all again.

"But it was beautiful. It's an amazing experience to just be another person on the road and not be recognised and just carry on about life that normally people would on a daily basis," he added.

Kohli showcased his dominance with 11 boundaries, including 11 fours and two sixes, during his impressive innings of 77 runs off 49 balls. His remarkable performance single-handedly kept RCB in the chase, before Dinesh Karthik (28* off 10) and Impact Player Mahipal Lomror (17* off 8) provided the final flourish, stitching an unbeaten 48-run stand off 18 balls, to help RCB chased down 177 in the final over.

He was adjudged player of the match for his knock and also takes the orange cap for sitting top of the list of highest run-getters of the season. "Don't get overexcited, it's just two games. I know what this (orange cap) means," said Kohli.

"It's been going on for years and you know, people talk about a lot of other things when you play sport. The achievements, the stats, the numbers. Look at the end of the day when you look back you're not going to think of the numbers and the stats. It's the memories that you creates. Famously Rahul bhai in the change room nowadays says exactly the same to us," he further said.

The charismatic batter however expressed his disappointment of not finishing the match. "In T20, I'm opening, I try to give a blazing start. But when wickets start falling, you have to understand the conditions you are playing as well. The wicket wasn't as placid as normal here. I thought I need to play correct shots... I am pretty disappointed couldn't finished the game off in the end but not bad having a bad start for playing after two months and getting back to the tournaments," Kohli said.

Kohli finished the most recent T20 World Cup in Australia as the leading run-scorer with 296 runs from six innings and will form a vital cog in India's squad for this year's tournament if he wins selection for what would be a sixth appearance at the 20-over showcase.

India will have to finalise a squad of 15 players prior to the tournament commencing on June 1 and Kohli is determined to continue to work hard to make sure he flourishes in the shortest format.

"You have to come up with a game plan here and there and try to keep improving your game. I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I've still got it, I guess," Kohli signed off.

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