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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Mumbai Indians by 8 wickets with 22 balls to spare at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
Winning the first match of the season gives the team an initial boost in momentum. RCB have been performing consistently in the tournament since 2020 when Mike Hesson took over, but have failed to cross the final few hurdles.
The openers set the foundation for the victory - captain Faf du Plessis scored 73 runs off 43 balls while former captain Virat Kohli scored 82* off 49 balls. Among the bowlers, Karn Sharma (2/32 in 4 overs) and Mohammed Siraj (1/21 in 4 overs) were the standout performers for the Bangalore-based franchise.
In this piece, we look at the three signs of improvement shown by RCB in their first game of the season.
#1 Virat Kohli's return to form for RCB
Virat Kohli has been exceptional in the T20 format since his comeback in August for the 2022 Asia Cup. He has scored 782 runs at an average of 78.2 and a strike rate of 141.92 in 17 T20 innings in that time period with 1 century and 8 half-centuries to his name.
Kohli's record looks even more outstanding when you note that he has played across different conditions - UAE, Australia & India. His game against spin has also improved a lot - he is able to rotate the strike more freely and he finds the boundaries on a regular basis in the middle overs.
RCB made it to the Qualifier-2 last season despite Kohli having his worst individual season since 2009. If he is able to maintain this consistency throughout the tournament, it will bode extremely well for the team. Bangalore will stand a much better chance in must-win games if he steps up.
#2 Faf du Plessis leading from the front
Royal Challengers Bangalore appointed former CSK legend Faf du Plessis as the heir to Virat Kohli. He had a decent season last year - 468 runs in 16 innings at an average of 31.20 and a strike rate of 127.52. However, he did not bat to the best of his abilities - often taking time to settle down in the first 6 overs.
Post the IPL, du Plessis has proved his worth in various T20 competitions across the globe. He made a conscious effort to improve his strike rate and become a more versatile batter in the top order.
The South African had a strike rate of 147 in the first season of the recently concluded SA20 and a strike rate of 169 in CPL 2022. He looks a lot more comfortable against left-arm pacers and spinners, taking them on at will.
#3 Mohammed Siraj high on confidence
After a good start to his Test career, Mohammed Siraj has also established himself as one of the best ODI bowlers in the world over the last 12-15 months. However, there were always doubts about his ability in the shortest format of the game.
He had a terrible season last year after being retained by RCB for ₹7 crores. He took just 9 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 57.11 and an economy rate of 10.08.
Siraj nailed the right line and length in his opening spell yesterday, conceding just 5 runs in 3 overs. He also dismissed Ishan Kishan in the process.
The Hyderabad-born bowler displayed immense control in the Powerplay overs - a stark contrast from his performances last year. He will be motivated to have a great season for the franchise, allowing him to stake a claim in India's T20 setup.
