Royal Challengers Bengaluru had a special IPL season, signified by their stunning turnaround of six wins in six games to reach the playoffs, feels Faf du Plessis. The RCB skipper also lauded the RCB 12th-man army for standing by their team through the ups and downs, with their chants boosting the side wherever they played. "The last six games have been really special given the way we turned it around. When you do something that special, your hopes are to do something even more special," skipper du Plessis said in the RCB dressing room in Ahmedabad after his team's campaign ended in the Eliminator.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said that this belief to do something special was what stood out for him in RCB's performance this season. "Things turned around, winning six out of six felt like, 'wow! This is going to be the year!' But sport, as always, there is no fairytale endings, there is always a hard day, one day that does not go your way... but still should be really proud of the boys."
"I thought that the batters, bowlers and fielders fought right up to the end. And that is all you can ask for in sport. The attitude matters, the belief in wanting to do something special matters. And on both counts, RCB had a very, very special season," Karthik said.
"It is a season where a lot of people will look at and be like 'wow, that was a good effort.' We should be very proud of ourselves and I hope all the fans are very proud of us for what we have done this year."
Head coach Andy Flower also lauded his players for keeping the belief alive throughout a long, gruelling season. "Our guys have been brilliant at keeping their energy and their enthusiasm and their belief through a long tournament. It is a long tournament, but it's been fascinating and great fun. I loved working with our guys... and I've really treasured the last couple of months," coach Flower said.
RCB's incredible streak of six wins in six games will always remain memorable for Virat Kohli. The RCB star said he was proud of the character shown by the team which had propelled their comeback.
"We started expressing ourselves, started to play for our self-respect and then the confidence came back. The way we turned things around and qualified was truly special, something that I will always, always cherish and remember, because it took a lot of character from each member of this team, something that we can be really proud of. And eventually, we played the way we wanted to play," Kohli said.
As always, RCB's 12th Man Army was a vocal supporter of the team throughout the season and captain du Plessis said he was grateful for RCB's "incredible fanbase."
"We were extremely down halfway through the season. But still the fans, at every stadium, every match, you can hear the chants from a long way away. And once we got the momentum, we just ran with that. Extremely grateful for our incredible fanbase."
"Sad that we as a group can't get those final two steps to get to the trophy. But if I look back on the season, from where we were, to where we finished, I am very proud of the boys," du Plessis said.
Kohli also acknowledged the 12th Man Army, saying their support has been unwavering every season. "This season was exactly the same, it wasn't any different. We are very thankful for that and we will always be grateful for that, the way they turn out in numbers, not just in Bangalore but all over the country where we play, so thank you very much for all your support and your wishes," Kohli signed off.