Royal Challengers Bangalore is all gearing up for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. The event would be held in India this term after the previous edition was held in the United Arab Emirates due to India's COVID restrictions.
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Meanwhile, RCB skipper Virat Kohli would join the side for the preparatory camp in Chennai from April 1. Kohli is coming off a victorious outing, having led Team India to glory against England across formats at home.
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Interestingly, the sides would be playing their games behind closed doors and in neutral venues, thus without any home advantage. As for RCB, its first three games would be held in Chennai, with the opener against defending champion Mumbai Indians on April 9.
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The teams would be restricted to their respective bio-bubbles as the players and franchise officials have been advised to adhere to the norms strictly. Meanwhile, Kohli has once spoken on the long-lasting effects of the bubble on mental health and has said that it is not feasible in the long run.
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"Scheduling needs to be looked at in future because playing in bubbles for so long, two to three months is going to be very, very difficult going forward. You can't expect everyone to be at the same level of mental strength. Sometimes you do get cooked and you do feel like a bit of a change. I am sure things will be discussed and things will change in the future as well. But, a different tournament, it brings fresh challenges heading into the IPL," Kohli had said on Sunday after India's 3rd One-Day International win against England in Pune.
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As for RCB, the franchise is still in the hunt for its maiden IPL title, having finished fourth last season. Eyeing a change in fortunes, Kohli would have a nervy task at hand to lead the side to glory this season, as failure to do so could question his leadership abilities.
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