Virat Kohli has never been an IPL champion in 15 seasons in the history of the competition. One of the greatest Indian players of all time has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore every season since the inception of the competition but has not managed to drag his team to glory. It’s an incredible statistic, and that is a blemish on his exemplary record. Kohli has been very unfortunate, having guided RCB to the final on three occasions.
But, in each final, Kohli and his teammates were outplayed. RCB lost to Deccan Chargers in 2009 by six runs in a game that could have gone either way. They were crushed by Mumbai Indians in 2011, and their final run for the title was ended by Sunrisers Hyderabad in another tight contest in 2016. The defeat in 2016 was all the more heartbreaking for Kohli considering his remarkable performances over the course of the season, scoring an incredible 973 runs at an average of 81.08, and notching four hundreds in the process. Kohli’s 973 runs in a single season is a record that will likely be never beaten.
It proved that no matter how well Kohli performed, RCB did not have the right blend of players to achieve ultimate success. He has played with talented players along the way, including Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Anil Kumble, but RCB has lacked the winning formula to deliver the crown. RCB have reached the playoffs for the past three IPL seasons, but have endured the all-too-familiar feeling of defeat, losing out in 2022 at the hands of Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 due to the brilliance of Jos Buttler. The question is what will the 2023 season hold for RCB and Kohli?
Can Kohli bounce back?
Kohli’s presence certainly boosts RCB’s chances, although the 34-year-old was off his game in the 2022 season. He averaged only 22.73 after scoring only 341 runs with two fifties in his 16 games. RCB is backed in the latest cricket odds at 6.00 to win the IPL in the 2023 campaign as of 22nd February, but Kohli is trending in the wrong direction in the IPL as his 2021 season was largely underwhelming too.
For RCB to compete and win the tournament, they will need their key man to be operating at the peak of his power. He does not have to produce a record-breaking season akin to his 2016 campaign, but Kohli must regain presence at the crease. It gives confidence to the rest of the line-up and strikes fear into opposing players knowing that he is striding to the crease. Kohli has arguably placed too much pressure on himself to win the IPL. The longer his and RCB’s drought has extended the more the spotlight has fallen upon him.
Kohli always appears to be under pressure to deliver on his reputation. At the age of 34, time is running out for him to use his superior skill set to drive RCB to the crown. He has been in good form for India in their recent white-ball series, which could provide him with much-needed momentum to take into the competition.
Supporting Cast
RCB’s reliance on Kohli for runs was an issue last season, but the emergence of Rajat Patidar down the stretch allowed them to reach the playoffs and defeat Lucknow Super Giants in Qualifier One with a brilliant century. RCB still needs more support around Kohli and skipper Faf du Plessis.
The arrival of Will Jacks will provide firepower in the middle order and an additional spinner. Jacks has been a quality operator for Surrey and has recently become an England international. He could be the breakout star of the tournament.
Reece Topley is another savvy addition to the bowling ranks to support Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood was extremely impressive in the competition last season, taking 20 wickets with an average of 18.85. Boasting a new ball bowler alongside the Australian will give RCB the chance to peg back their opponents early and often. The addition of the left-armer is exciting and Topley certainly has a point to prove.
Wanindu Hasaranga was one of the best players in the competition in 2022 and the driving force behind RCB’s challenge throughout the season. The Sri Lanka international cannot afford to let his standards drop as there is not a lot of quality depth available. RCB have a promising squad, but there are a lot of moving pieces that could make or break their fortunes in their bid to end their title drought.
