Virat Kohli assesses RCB's "strange" IPL campaign

The India captain is at a loss to explain the franchise's place at the bottom of the table after losing eight of their 14 matches

Virat Kohli has attempted to explain Royal Challengers Bangalore's failure in the Indian Premier League after they secured eighth place in the 2019 edition.

Six defeats in as many games at the start of their campaign ensured that despite four wins during the second half of the term it was not enough to lift RCB off the foot of the table.

Kohli scored 464 runs in his 14 outings, averaging 33.14, but genuine support with bat and ball has been few and far between.

"We haven't finished in the position we wanted to, but because the second half has been so nice for us, it doesn't really feel like a bad season to be honest," Kohli said after the four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"It sounds strange, but having lost six and then getting six [five] results out of the [last] seven games with one point [for the no-result] is something you can be proud of as a team.

"If we focus on the second half, I think it was exactly what we wanted in the first half.

"After losing six games in a row, it's very difficult to come back in a tournament like the IPL. You understand the importance of winning at least two out of the first six, and then you're in the playoffs.

"I think the first couple of weeks really matter in terms of setting your intensity and path as a team and then following that non-stop. 

"But the way the guys have turned things around, a lot of credit has to go to the whole team, to the management to get players in the right mindset. We're just happy we were able to play the kind of cricket we can. 

"At the end of the day, as cricketers, you don't want to go out there and feel like hopeless every game. I think the way we played the second half, we showed what kind of a team we are."

Hotstar is the official digital streaming partner for the VIVO IPL 2019 and will live stream ALL matches. Subscribers can watch all the VIVO IPL action anytime, anywhere & on the go – gaining access to the entire sports and entertainment library for £11.99/month or £59.99 a year. Hotstar is available on the web (uk.hotstar.com), as well as on the google play store, app store and on Now TV stick.

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.