Virat Kohli, the stalwart batter of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, expressed his gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support throughout the IPL 2024 campaign after the team's heartbreaking exit following a loss to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator on Wednesday.

Kohli extended his heartfelt thanks to the fans, acknowledging their love and encouragement for both the players and the franchise. RCB's journey in the tournament had been nothing short of remarkable, with the side staging an impressive turnaround after a challenging start, eventually securing a playoff berth with six consecutivvie victories through the second half of the league stage.

Taking to his official Instagram account, Kohli wrote, “Thank you once again to all the fans of RCB for making us feel loved and appreciated as always.”

RCB endured seven losses in their first eight matches but mounted an incredible comeback to register wins in all of their remaining league games to clinch a spot in the Playoffs. Their qualification to the knockout stage was marked by a crucial clash against defending champions Chennai Super Kings, where RCB showcased their fighting spirit, restricting CSK to 191/7 in the 220-run chase.

However, their Eliminator match with Rajasthan Royals proved to be a formidable challenge, resulting in a four-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad.

Kohli was the most consistent performer for RCB throughout the season; he holds a considerable lead at the top of the list among the leading run-getters this year, with 741 runs to his name in 15 matches. The next best among teams currently still in the competition is Rajasthan Royals' Riyan Parag, who has 567 runs in 15 games.

'Played for our self-respect'

Following their elimination, Virat Kohli addressed the dressing room, stating that the side never lost the belief despite the horrific start.

"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.

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