Faf du Plessis drops huge 'infectious' statement on Virat Kohli ahead of IPL 2024

Virat Kohli has been the batting mainstay of RCB since IPL 2008. Since joining as the captain of the franchise in 2022, Faf du Plessis has shared the workload with the former Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper.

RCB are amongst the batting-heavy teams in IPL 2024. They certainly have the best top three in the tournament with Faf and Kohli opening the batting and Glenn Maxwell batting at three.

Despite the franchise not making it to the playoffs last season, Faf was the second-highest run-getter last season with 730 runs while Kohli also scored 639 runs in 14 games last season. Yet again they have assembled a batting-heavy side with their bowling lineup looking thin. The absence of a seasoned Indian spinner is another major concern for the side.

Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis who will be opening the batting with Virat Kohli has spoken about his batting partner and what makes him the player that he is today. Kohli is the highest scorer of the league with over 7200 runs in the league. He has also scored the most runs in a single season when he scored 973 runs in 2016 with four centuries. He now has seven centuries in the league.

“Batting is probably the other thing that we click on equally. You know, it is unbelievable batting with him. He’s one of my favourite guys to bat with. He brings out so much energy in me, like sometimes, I feel like I’m fist-bumping my glove through his hand because he gets so passionate. Him being out there in the middle, which is really infectious, the way he gives that energy, and I remember being in the opposition and how that really is,” Du Plessis told Star Sports.

Let’s hope for that amount of energy because it was like this guy is just always on – Faf du Plessis on Virat Kohli

He further spoke about Virat Kohli’s energy on the field which he finds infectious and wonders how he manages to stay so much motivated. Kohli is the only player in the league to have played for a single franchise in the IPL. It has now been 16 seasons and IPL 2024 will be his 17th for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

“Let’s hope for that amount of energy, because it was like this guy is just always on. How did you manage it? So it’s really infectious, the same thing on the field, because, like catching balls, we are both very competitive, and I make sure we get those good catches for the team. So he’s really important to me in terms of the field. I think, indeed, so many things fast as a team. But fielding is, he said, so he sets the time for the energy on the field,” the RCB skipper added.

RCB last made it to the playoffs back to back in IPL 2021 and 2022. They finished sixth last season with seven wins and seven losses. Overall, they have made it to the playoffs on eight occasions and played the final thrice. However, the wait to win their maiden IPL title is still on.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Squad for IPL 2024

Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.

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