"He has been a terrible influence on me when it comes to watches" - Faf du Plessis opens up on his personal bond with Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis has said that he and Virat Kohli bond over plenty of things like clothes, food and fitness before cheekily adding that Kohli has been a terrible influence on him when it comes to watches.

RCB kick off their IPL 2024 campaign with a high-profile clash against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk on March 22. Both Du Plessis and Kohli will be key to the franchise's fortunes in the upcoming IPL edition.

Apart from forming a terrific batting pair, Du Plessis and Kohli also share great off-screen camaraderie. Speaking about the same in a video on Star Sports' Instagram handle, the RCB captain commented:

"We spend a lot of time in the gym together. We both love food. We both are really into our fashion - that's another thing that we spend a lot of time talking about.

"The way we dress and what styles of clothes ... We send each other pictures of outfits and stuff like that. We are very girly in that."

While taking a light-hearted dig at Kohli's passion for watches, the Proteas cricketer added that being family men also helps them understand each other.

"He has been a terrible influence on me when it comes to watches. But he's got a real passion for watches.

"There's just so many things. Obviously now, it's family. I've got two daughters. He's got a second child as well now. Our wives and kids, having them at similar ages, really connected on that front as well," the 39-year-old added.

Du Plessis was the second-leading run-getter in IPL 2023, smashing 730 runs in 14 innings. Kohli, meanwhile, hammered 639 runs, including two hundreds.

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"It's unbelievable batting with him" - Du Plessis on Kohli's infectious energy

Shifting focus to on-field matters, Du Plessis asserted that batting with Kohli is an unbelievable experience because of the kind of infectious energy he possesses.

"Batting is another thing where we click. It's unbelievable batting with him. He's one of my favorite guys to bat with. He brings out so much energy in me.

"Sometimes, I feel like I am fist-bumping my glove through his hand. He gets so passionate. Being out there, it's really infectious the way he gives that energy," the RCB captain elaborated.

Du Plessis added that Kohli, apart from his batting, brings a lot to the table for RCB as a leader on the field as well.

"I remember being in the opposition, and I got really pi***d with the amount of energy. ... We are both very competitive. He's really important to me in terms of the field.

"I think he leads so many things. I think fielding sets the tone for the energy on the field," the veteran South African batter concluded.

Despite Du Plessis and Kohli's batting heroics, RCB failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2023, finishing sixth in the points table, with seven wins and as many losses.