3 positives for RCB despite not making it to the playoffs in IPL 2023

It was another 'nearly' year for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL as they came within touching distance of making the playoffs. Their inconsistency was largely caused by a weak middle order, which failed to capitalize on good starts given by the top order. This top-order comprised Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, and Glenn Maxwell - a formidable troika.

In a video released on RCB's social media, skipper Du Plessis acknowledged that the team did not deserve to make it to the playoffs. It was a familiar story for RCB as they have traditionally been a top-heavy side.

The bowling too, like in previous seasons, was not up to the mark, something which put even more pressure on the batters.

It's obvious that RCB will have to do a proper post-mortem of the season in order to come back stronger next year. Still, there were a few positives for the franchise and here, we look at three of them:

#1 The return of vintage Kohli

After a poor season in 2022, Kohli returned to his best this year

After a torrid season in 2022, in which he could only manage to score 341 runs, RCB veteran Virat Kohli was back at his best this season. He scored 639 runs in IPL 2023 at a great strike-rate of 139.82. The strike-rate also improved from 115.99 last season.

He, along with skipper Faf du Plessis, gave the team good starts in almost every game they played. He also scored two centuries this season to become the player with the most tons in IPL history.

Kohli's form bodes well for RCB, who are still chasing their maiden title. It's worth noting that the pressure on him was enormous, considering that RCB's middle-order didn't do too well. Next season, RCB will look to get a few reliable middle-order batters who can take the load off the great man.

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#2 The rise of Mohammed Siraj

Like Kohli, Siraj too returned to form this season

Mohammed Siraj had a great run in IPL 2021, a season in which he picked up 11 wickets and conceded runs at an economy rate of just 6.78. However, IPL 2022 didn't really go to plan, as he could only manage 9 wickets and leaked runs at an economy rate of 10.08.

There were doubts on his calibre as a T20 bowler ahead of the season, but the pacer brushed all that aside through his performances in IPL 2023. In 14 games this season, he picked up 19 wickets at a great economy rate of 7.52. This is even more impressive considering that this was one of the toughest years for bowlers.

He was excellent, both in the powerplay and death overs. RCB's other bowlers were quite off-colour this season and it was Siraj who made up for their poor showings.

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#3 Glenn Maxwell's consistency

Glenn Maxwell's skill was never in doubt but this year, he brought some consistency to his form

Glenn Maxwell is not regarded as a consistent batter by pundits and fans alike. He is believed to be a 'hit-or-miss' type of batsman, who cannot be relied upon. It's great if he gets going but if he doesn't, you can't really complain.

Hence, people had doubts over whether Maxwell is a right fit in a team which had a poor middle order. However, the Australian had a terrific season, one in which he was consistent. His batting inspired a lot of confidence in fans, something that he hasn't done in the past.

In IPL 2023, Maxwell scored 400 runs at a phenomenal strike-rate of 183.49 and played several impactful knocks over the course of the tournament. He showed a different side of his game this season, as he found the gaps with ease. He shared 5 century stands with du Plessis and was one of the best batters this season, in terms of pure impact.