IPL 2023: Kohli has some unfinished business to do for RCB

The 34-year-old Kohli has been batting like a man possessed

Just as two-time Cricket World Cup winner, Australia’s Tom Moody, now a television expert, finished saying that Virat Kohli would do everything in his potential to help the Royal Challengers Bangalore stay in the race for a spot in the playoffs, the batsman actually walked the talk.

Kohli’s sixth century in the Indian Premier League on May 18 night against Sunrisers Hyderabad, coming 49 months after his fifth, not only took RCB to the fourth spot, displacing Mumbai Indians on net run rate, but also made them a serious contender to claim their first IPL title.

Kohli’s century and his strong partnership with captain and Orange Cap holder Faf du Plessis at the top of the order have given RCB the best chance to win the elusive title. The Kohli-du Plessis partnership of 172 runs is the highest for any wicket this IPL.

They also breached the 800-mark by a set of openers for the first time in 16 editions of IPL, eclipsing the David Warner-Jonny Bairstow partnership of 791 for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019. Not only that. Kohli and du Plessis also have the second-highest partnership in this IPL – 148 versus Mumbai Indians.

Man possessed

Kohli’s 63-ball 100 not only sealed RCB’s win but also obliterated a magnificent century by SRH wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen, whose 51-ball 104 gave his team something to fight for. Klaasen’s century was all about footwork, the commentators raving about his backfoot play, and using the crease to score boundaries, especially on the on-side.

The Klassen-Kohli centuries were the first instance of a batsman from either side reaching the three-figure mark in the same IPL match.

The 34-year-old Kohli has been batting like a man possessed, especially since returning to action after a month-long break following the one-off fifth Test against England last year at Edgbaston.

Since returning from the break in which he said he had not touched the bat at all, Kohli has taken his batting to a different level, where it is more about him batting in his comfort zone, shutting out whatever outsiders said about his batting and doing it for the team’s cause while also enjoying himself.

The break did him a world of good, in that he went on to score his maiden T20I century – 122 not out against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai. Since coming back from the self-imposed short sabbatical, Kohli has batted with the sole purpose of putting his team into a winning position.

He accumulated 342 runs in six Tests at 38.00 including 186 in Ahmedabad against Australia earlier this year, 554 runs in 12 ODIs at 50.36 with three hundreds and one fifty, and 700 runs in 16 T20Is at 70.00 with one century and seven fifties.

Listening to Kohli of late, he has become more philosophical, and not worried about what’s being said about his game. He is not under pressure to perform or to prove anything to anyone.

He has been going about his business of staying supremely fit, hitting the ball cleanly in the nets and translating them into the matches, not overdoing things in practice. His commitment to the game has rubbed off on the others, be it Team India or RCB.

Playing the situation

Echoing what many of his teammates and contemporaries from overseas have said about Kohli in the past, RCB bowler Harshal Patel said: “When he gets going, it is hard to bowl to him. That’s the sign of a great player. I don’t need to sit here and say he is a great player. Everybody knows that. The way he bats just by playing cricketing shots, not doing anything fancy, the way he takes on the bowlers even on a slowish pitch, the kind of sixes he hits, he is obviously not a power hitter but the timing of his batting is incredible. His ability to keep going without getting tired, taking so many twos, his energy on the field, commitment to the team, and on top of that, his skills are remarkable to watch.”

Kohli is not one to dwell on the past but takes fresh guard every time he walks out to bat, beginning from the scratch. As they say, you’re only as good as your last game – the former India captain is well aware of that.

He told commentator and former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta at the post-match presentation: “I never look at past records. I was telling the boys the way I'm looked at as an IPL player as well is like 'yeah, he's fine, a few impact knocks'. It's my sixth IPL hundred (he shares the most IPL hundreds with Chris Gayle). I don't give myself enough credit for that sometimes because I put myself under so much stress already. I don't really care what anyone says on the outside. That's their opinion. When you're in that situation yourself, you know how to win games of cricket. I've done that over a long period of time. It's not like when I play I don't win games for my team. It's playing the situation that I take pride in.”

Kohli and AB de Villiers forged a great partnership (3,108 at 44.40 in 75 innings), one of the most successful in IPL history. However, they could not help RCB win a title. Since IPL 2022, when he joined hands with another South African du Plessis at the top of the innings, Kohli has extended his brilliant partnership with the men from the Rainbow Nation.

Kohli said after the eight-wicket win in Hyderabad: “We (Kohli and du Plessis) almost have 900 runs together this season. It’s amazing to bat with him. It’s very similar to how I used to feel with AB (de Villiers) and me batting together. It’s just an understanding of where the game is going and what needs to be done. We pump each other, read the conditions. Having an experienced guy who has captained at the international level, it's been a beautiful transition for us coming together for RCB at the top and making an impact.”

Kohli and du Plessis have raised 872 runs together in 13 innings at an average of 67.08 with three centuries and four fifties. Du Plessis, with his amazing consistency this season, amassing the most runs so far – 702 runs at 58.50 with eight fifties – is one of the main reasons for RCB to be in contention for the playoffs and the title.

Add to it, the bowling of Mohammed Siraj and his combination at the top with T20 specialist Wayne Parnell, the leg-spin of Karn Sharma and the death bowling of Harshal Patel, RCB cannot be ignored as also-rans. RCB came close to winning three times, finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016.

Crucial game

This time, they are determined to improve. And, the Kohli-du Plessis pair is a key factor for this, with big-hitting batsman in Glenn Maxwell to follow.

RCB will play their last league match at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, against Gujarat Titans on May 21. That is the 70th and last league match of this season before IPL 2023 enters the final week of playoffs.

RCB must win that game to finish in the top four. It won’t be easy as they are up against a team that has been master chasers. But what RCB have shown in recent times is their ability to restrict the opposition, even bowling them out for dirt cheap, and winning handsomely.

And, with the form that Kohli and du Plessis are in, they can make any tall score look inadequate in front of them. Besides just winning, they need to ensure that their net run rate does not slip as they are better positioned than MI, who are on a negative NRR.

Irrespective of whether Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants win or lose their last game, RCB can finish in the top four, possibly second behind Titans. But a loss on May 21 and a win by Rajasthan Royals in Dharamsala against Punjab Kings on May 19 with a super net run rate would deny RCB’s chances.

It's all ifs and buts. RCB’s current form – peaking at the right time – is what matters. RCB believes the positive vibes with Kohli around are what will take them further.

While Kohli took more than four years to score an IPL hundred, his current performance may not be as rich as his 2016 season, when he smashed four centuries and seven fifties and scored almost 1,000 runs (973 at 81.08). But this could well be the more memorable season if RCB go on to win the title.

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