With Royal Challengers Bangalore finally managing to get a win after defeating UP Warriorz in the ongoing Women's Premier League (WPL), talismanic batter Virat Kohli had given a motivational speech to the Smriti Mandhana-led side ahead of the match, which seems to have worked wonders.
In his speech to the team, who broke their five-game losing streak on Wednesday, Kohli urged the players to be hopeful about making a turnaround in the season, citing his example.
"It's been a challenging season for sure and for someone who's been at RCB for 15 years, I have seen many challenging seasons. I can understand the pressure you guys have been feeling because there are a lot of expectations in big-league teams."
"Unexpected things can happen; unfortunate things can happen. But the reason why I am still there is hope, a 1 per cent chance. Sometimes, it is good enough. What matters is what you think about that 1 per cent chance.
Are you ready to give absolutely everything you have for that game (against UP Warriorz), to convert that one per cent into 10, a row that 10 into 30 and eventually something magical might come out of it."
"Even though nothing happens after the remaining three matches, the chance to walk away with your heads held high would be more important than reaching the knockouts of a particular tournament.
Sometimes we really think of the results that we want, which is short-term." "If you can turn this around, then you will have much more confidence, belief and faith.
I hope you all embrace this situation with grace, self-belief, integrity and self-esteem. Have respect for yourselves as individuals who have been selected because you are good enough," he said in a video released by the franchise on Thursday.
Kohli also revealed to Smriti & Co that even though he hasn't won the IPL trophy yet, he always remained excited and hungry to bring the trophy to the Bangalore team.
"I've been playing IPL for 15 years and I haven't won it yet. But that doesn't stop me from being excited every year." "That's all I can do. That's the effort I can put into every game and every tournament that I play.
If we win, great. If we don't, then I am not going to go to my grave thinking that if only I had won an IPL, I would be a happy man dying." "It doesn't happen like that. So always think about the opportunity that you have rather than how bad it is right now.
There is always a flip side to it, and it could always be worse than this. And the fact that we haven't won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world."
"Only because we were always committed to every game that we played for RCB. That has been the most special thing for our fans. Now when they see us, the smile on their face tells me their belief and commitment to our team.
There's no guarantee of giving you a cup every year, but there's a guarantee of giving your 110% every year, and that's all you can strive to do."