Ahead of the start of the much-awaited season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli is all excited for the cash-rich league to commence this weekend. IPL 2022 will begin with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. And RCB will lock horns with Punjab Kings in their first match of the tournament on Sunday. Kohli cannot wait to set the ball rolling as he gears up for the match with "buzz and excitement". "Heading into matchday weekend. All the buzz and excitement of IPL (are) in the air. Love this anticipation and butterflies in the stomach before the tournament starts," Kohli shared pictures from his training session on the KOO app. Kohli, free from the responsibilities as the captain, is focused on helping RCB lift the IPL trophy this season.
Asked if relinquishing captaincy duties has given him refreshed energy, Kohli in an interview on the RCB website said, "(I have) renewed energy'because I'm off a lot of responsibilities and duties. And life is in a very good place. We have a child now, we have a family. For me, it's all about going on with life with a lot of joy and happiness and just watching our child grow and then just doing what I love, which is playing cricket." "So, my focus is so clear now, it's so precise what I want to do. I want to just have a lot of fun and enjoy myself on the field and give myself fully to this team, to this franchise like I have for so many years, without any load. So, I'm absolutely ready," he added. Coming back to IPL, the games will be played across stadiums in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune with an audience occupancy rate of 25 percent as per Covid-19 protocols. In all, 20 matches each will be held at Wankhede Stadium & DY Patil Stadium, 15 matches each at Brabourne and MCA International Stadium, Pune.