IPL 2022: If RCB win the title, I'll be very emotional about AB de Villiers – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has opened up about AB de Villiers' retirement, saying he'll be "very emotional" if Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) win the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season or in the coming ones.

De Villiers and Kohli shared the dressing room at RCB for 11 long years. Their respect for each other and the bond they share is widely known. After playing for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) in the opening two seasons of IPL, de Villiers moved to RCB. From there, he never looked back in the tournament.

In a video shared by RCB on social media, Kohli has spoken about how "strange" it is to not have de Villiers around this season.

"It is very strange, I mean. I clearly remember when he decided to finally call it a day, he sent me a voice note. And, I still remember we were coming back from Dubai after the World Cup, and I got this voice note, and we were driving back home. I got the voice note, I opened it and listened to it. Anushka was with me and I looked at her like this.

"The first thing she said was, don't tell me. She knew. I kind of had the impression during the last IPL. He kept telling me, our rooms were next to each other. I want to see you for coffee one of these days. I kept getting nervous, I was like I am not sitting with you, I think there's something coming." Kohli said in the video.

Kohli and de Villiers have made several records for RCB over the years in the IPL. The duo holds the record of the highest partnership by runs in the IPL – 229 runs, which they scored against Gujarat Lions in 2016. The second partnership in the record's list also belongs to Kohli-AB – an unbeaten second-wicket stand of 215 runs that they scored against Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2015.

"He said 'I just want to sit and chat with you, it's been a while'. And he never speaks like that, you know, because we interact all the time. I knew something was brewing up. It's a very strange feeling, I got very emotional, the voice note was very emotional as well for me when he said I don't have it in me anymore.

"I have shared so many moments with him, highs and lows, everything, he's been right next to me through thick and thin. I was thinking about him the other day that if we manage to win the title in the coming seasons, this one, next one, whatever it is. I would be very emotional thinking about him first, rather than you know what I would experience after such hard work of so many years," the former RCB skipper added.

IPL 2022: AB has touched everyone's lives at RCB, says Virat Kohli

De Villiers finished his IPL career with 4,697 runs in 157 innings at an average of 38.82 and strike rate of 154.10. He also is the second leading run-scorer for RCB after Kohli.

"I would actually think how much it would still mean to him, watching from home. He's a special human being, he's touched everyone's lives here, we can all vouch for that, he's been amazing. I don't think there's one person who can say AB has not contributed to my life some way or the other," Kohli said further.

Ahead of IPL 2022 season, de Villiers sent out a message for his "family" at RCB. "I know I'm not gonna go anywhere, I'm gonna be an RCBan for life. Every single person in the RCB setup has become family to me. I've spent a lot of time together now, some people come, some go. But that RCB franchise, and the spirit and the love we have for each other will always remain. All the very best team RCB," said de Villiers.