Watch: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle thrill RCB fans at Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of IPL 2023
Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli formed one of the most fearsome top orders in the IPL for many years while together at RCB.
Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were seen together at the Chinnaswamy Stadium once again. While Kohli is active, De Villiers retired from all cricket last year while Gayle last played an IPL match in the 2021 season. Moreover, the trio have not been seen together in RCB colours at the Chinnaswamy stadium since 2017, with Gayle being signed by the Punjab Kings in the 2018 season after RCB decided to not retain him.
Gayle and De Villiers could be seen taking a lap of honour around the stadium along with Kohli and the rest of the current RCB stars, which included captain and De Villiers' former South Africa teammate Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell. RCB also shared a video in which Gayle and De Villiers could be seen giving the team a pep talk. “When they told me about this Unbox, in my own mind, when I arrived, I was looking for my kit bag. So I might say, hey, I have still got more in me, what's happening,” Gayle could be seen joking in the video.
“No but it's a pleasure. Faf, I want to wish you and the boys all the best. You are a great leader, you lead from the front as usual. Stamp your authority, make it count. You guys have a great captain, support him and you will get the result. Most importantly, enjoy the game. Play it hard, when it is work time, it is work time. Have a lot of fun but when it is work time, switch on,” said the former West Indies captain.
“To each and everyone of you, some faces I don't know that well, some young faces and some familiar faces, thank you very much for tonight. Huge honour, I can't explain to you the emotions running through my mind when I walked out there and saw the crowd. Extremely special for both of us, RCB has a very special place in my heart. It is not just the cricket but off the field, the support staff helping us through our time here, all very special,” said De Villiers.
The stadium was packed to the rafters with live music beats by Sonu Nigam and Jason Derulo followed by the arrival of Kohli, captain Faf Du Plessis, De Villiers and Gayle were greeted with thundering cheers and the iconic chant — RCB, RCB. The fans were allowed to watch the full squad practice of RCB, a first of its kind initiative in the IPL, accompanied by RCB brand launches.
“I am quite excited to welcome back fans to the stadium after 3 years. It was such an exhilarating experience to practice in front of some amazing fans as part of the RCB Unbox. It was also thrilling to welcome back AB and Chris for their special day, and it was awesome to feel the energy,” said Du Plessis.
Finally, the fans also witnessed the return of Gayle and De Villiers, two cricketers who are now part of the team's folklore. They were inducted into RCB Hall Of Fame and as a mark of respect, the RCB retired the jerseys of AB (17) and Chris Gayle (333) from its roster. The players got the fans some souvenirs in the form of red coloured balls that they threw into the crowd from the ground.
RCB also announced a number of initiatives in various spheres. The most prominent one being the RCB Innovation Lab, a pathbreaking intersection between sports and business. The franchise vouched to transform their 'Go Green Initiative' into a movement with a holistic approach to carbon neutrality with Green stadium, Lake Rejuvenation and Green Schools.
Rajesh Menon, Head & Vice President of Royal Challengers Bangalore, said, “RCB has this highly engaging fan base across the globe, and it has been numbered around 30 million. In 2022, we had touched a TV reach of 262.6 million, highest among all the IPL teams. As RCB is returning to their home turf after a gap of 3 years, we want to make it memorable in more ways than one. We want to break down the international barriers and showcase India as a thriving market. With the RCB Innovation Lab, it will be an attempt to take Sports Tech to next level in India. We, as one of the most popular sports teams in India, want to contribute and create meaningful footprints in sports in India which just do not confine to the playing arena alone and we believe if sports has to grow, then all aspects of the sports has to grow as well and we are on that journey with this vision."