Teams Got To Be Aware of Them: Gayle on Kohli and du Plessis

image-lg0nw63fVirat Kohli and Faf du Plessis' partnership of 148 runs helped RCB register their IPL campaign win. (IplT20.com)

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a spectacular win against Mumbai Indians. In the fifth match of the tournament, Faf du Plessis' team performed exceptionally with both bat and ball.

Mumbai Indians scored 171 runs in the first innings, but Royal Challengers Bangalore chased the target with ease, thanks to the excellent performances of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 82 runs in just 49 deliveries, while Du Plessis scored 73 off 43 deliveries.


According to Royal Challengers Bangalore legend Chris Gayle, both batters' performances were outstanding. Gayle praised the duo and said that Faf du Plessis is an excellent captain and an excellent player.  The Virat-Faf duo helped RCB build on their successful start to the tournament.

"We know Faf is class. He’s an excellent captain and an excellent player. He has done it all over international cricket as well, so this is not new to Faf," Gayle told to JioCinema.

"One thing I can tell you, Virat and Faf are going to feed off each other perfectly. Look at the way they start; they look to drop and run. They pick up their ones and their twos, and by the third over comes, they’re ready to take it out. That’s something bowlers and teams got to be aware of because these two, I’ve said this before, you’re guaranteed almost 400 runs," he further added.

Apart from Gayle, former CSK cricketer, Suresh Raina also talked the MI and RCB match and expressed how weak MI's bowling was and RCB's outstanding chase against the 5 time winners. 

"The way RCB chased the total down in 16 overs, which will help their run rate later in the tournament, MI’s bowling looked really weak. It didn’t even look like a wicket would fall," Raina said.

In the upcoming matches, the team led by Rohit Sharma will be eager to enhance their performance as Mumbai Indians will be determined to win their first match of the season against their rivals Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. 

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore will try to keep their winning momentum going when they face Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in their next match, which is an away game for them.