Dashing Indian batter Virat Kohli islooking forward to lead the host team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as afull-time captain in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20tournament this season.
"I have always enjoyed captaincy. I really enjoyed the challenge when Icaptained in the last two seasons. It is pretty exciting to be honest, it isnot something that I take as a pressure thing," Kohli told reporters herelate Wednesday at a pre-match presser.
In their opening tie, the hosts take on Mumbai Indians (MI) Thursday at theChinnaswamy stadium in the city centre.
Noting that it was an honour to captain players having experience of 20 years,Kohli said he had grown watching them playing.
"Now I have a chance to lead them in the IPL. Hopefully I can do the rightthings on the field," Kohli said after a two-hour practice session at thenets under floodlights.
The young Kohli, however, admitted that he and his team would miss Indian aceleggie Anil Kumble, who moved to mentor Mumbai Indians from RCB this season.
"He (Kumble) was always someone who would help players in any way youwanted. Be it any sort of cricketing issues. He was a great help and we willmiss him. He has groomed us in a great way. He was a great mentor to youngboys. He mentored and guided us into the IPL and luckily we have those guyswhom he had groomed in the team," Kohli recalled.
On Kumble's captaincy when he led RCB in the first three seasons of the IPLearlier, Kohli said what he liked most about his former mentor was giving 100percent on the field.
"He always expected us to give the same. It was a great quality of his. Hekept pushing players to perform well. When players were down, he would pullthem up by himself. That was something very striking about his captaincy. Isurely like to implement the same as he did for the team," Kohli said.
Admitting that the team was more balanced this season with the addition ofseamers, the new captain said the team would have greater bowling options ifregular bowlers were not available due to injuries or not in form to take morewickets.
"Bangalore has always been such a wicket where bowlers get help in thefirst six overs. It has not always been a flat track. If the wicket is fresh,the ball seams around. The year before (2011), we had lot of bowling options.Last year, we were bogged down due to injuries. So we had to persist with a setof bowlers present in the team. This year I insisted we pick a lot of bowlingoption," Kohli pointed out.
With Chris Gayle at the top, RCB's batting has been strong during the lastcouple of seasons.
"We got a few all-rounders who have made into the groove as well,"Kohli added.