though he struggled in the beginning seasons of the IPL, RCB never stopped backing him. He was always a regular player in the playing XI for the RCB, and became a strong force with his bat since the IPL 2011.
While Kohli is the biggest player for RCB and looks like he will play for them forever, there was once a time when he had the opportunity to leave the franchise. Speaking to Robin Uthappa on JioCinema in 2023, Kohli gave a hint about him leaving the franchise earlier in his IPL career if he wanted.
Kohli had a conversation with another franchise. However, the franchise did not pay attention to Kohli's suggestion of him batting in top three.
'It's been amazing. Why I value this partnership and journey with RCB so much, is because in the first 3 years of the IPL, they backed me a lot. Even when the retentions happened, they said, 'we want to retain you'. My only feedback to Ray Jennings at the time was 'I want to bat in top-order. I bat at 3 for India, and I want to bat at 3'. And they said, 'okay, you will bat at 3'. They showed faith in me at the time when I needed it. I was growing in my international career as well,' Virat said.
'That is of more value for me. I won't take names but another franchise who I spoke to at the time… they were not even keen enough to listen to me. I was playing lower down the order at the time (5-6). I was like, 'if I could get the opportunity to bat in the top of the order somewhere else…' The same franchise, because I had played for India and performed in 2011, before the retention, came to me and said, 'can you please come to the auction?' I said, 'no chance. I will always be with the franchise that backs me.'