Ahead of the eleventh season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have taken a surprising decision.
The Bangalore-based franchise has decided to retire jersey no.12. The jersey was once worn by veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh, who will now be a part of Kings XI Punjab this season.
However, Yuvraj has no connection with the surprising decision. And skipper Virat Kohli, on Wednesday, revealed why it all happened.
Well, it is safe to say the franchise has set the benchmark for the other teams. Kohli revealed the jersey was retired as a tribute to the fans, the 12th man of the team.
The star batsman hailed the contribution of the fans and called them as important as the 11 players who play on the field.
“RCB is retiring jersey No. 12 and naming it as the 12th man,” he said. “It’s a tribute to the amazing fan base we’ve had for the last ten years. They have supported us regardless of how the seasons have gone, and they’ve stood behind the team at the best and worst of times. This is a massive tribute to the fans. This belongs to all of them.
“The 12th man is as important as all the 11 members playing on the field and probably the most important person outside the field. We wanted to give that privilege to the fans,” he added.
Meanwhile, the team will be looking to bounce back this season after a disastrous previous campaign.
They had finished the season with the wooden spoon after winning just three games. The three-time runners-up will begin their IPL 2018 campaign with an away fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 8.
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