Can still be a leader within the team, drive it forward towards success: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli may have stepped down as Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper, but he says he "can still be a leader within the team and drive it forward towards success" in the IPL season which kicked off on Saturday. After giving the hot seat to Faf du Plessis, Kohli will take the field without wearing the captain's armband for RCB for the first time since 2012. "You can still be a leader within the team, drive the team forward towards success and winning trophies and titles, but I take a lot of pride in contributing for the team," Kohli said in an interview posted on RCB website.

"That for me is a very exciting space to be in because you are an individual who's part of a team, whether you're a captain or not, you're still an individual who's part of the team." He said he's lucky enough to see RCB's transition under former South Africa skipper. "A lot of people see transitions happen when they are away from the system. I'm lucky enough to see it happen in front of my eyes, while I'm still part of the larger picture." The 33-year-old announced last year that he would play for RCB till the day he retires.

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With the change in leadership at Royal Challengers Bangalore, the IPL might get to see the Virat Kohli from the 2016 season when he amassed over 900 runs, reckons former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.

"You got to still look for ways to contribute to your environment, and I'm certainly in a space where I'm gonna help him with anything that I can," he said. A chance to restructure and rethink about himselfKohli also opened up about being unburdened from his captaincy responsibilities after almost a decade and