Eyes on Kohli in Bangalore-Hyderabad match

HYDERABAD: Virat Kohli will be in focus as Royal Challengers Bangalore looks to strengthen its claim for an Indian Premier League 2023 play-off berth in its must-win match against Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Thursday. RCB has 12 points from as many matches and faces two must-win games to have a chance of securing a play-off slot while SRH is out of the tournament and has eight points from 12 matches.

Kohli is one of the top-scorers for RCB but after back-to-back failures – 18 against Rajasthan Royals and 1 against Mumbai Indians – the maestro would be looking to produce his best against SRH.

Skipper Faf du Plessis has been leading the side from the front and is in scintillating form, occupying the top spot in the run-getter list with 631 runs from 12 games at a staggering average of 57.36.

Kohli is the next best RCB batter with 438 runs, averaging 39.82 with six fifties, but unlike du Plessis, he has not been consistent enough. Another batter RCB would be banking on is Glenn Maxwell, who has made a great impact with his sparkling knocks.

The team in general is high on confidence after a 112-run demolition of Rajasthan in its last game. Riding on du Plessis and Maxwell’s fifties and a late surge from Anuj Rawat, RCB posted 171 for five against RR. Wayne Parnell (3/10) then led the way in the company of Michael Bracewell, Karn Sharma and Mohammed Siraj to bundle Rajasthan out for a paltry 59.

On the bowling front, the onus would again be on Parnell and Siraj to deliver the goods. The last match also saw RCB return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats against MI and Delhi Capitals. SRH will play for pride after becoming the second team to crash out of the tournament. SRH would look to give its fans something to cheer about by registering wins in its remaining two games.