IPL 2023: ‘He will have to…’ – Harbhajan Singh shares advice for Virat Kohli before RCB vs KKR clash

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are improving with each passing game in the IPL 2023 edition. At the halfway mark of the league stage, RCB are placed in the fifth position with four wins from seven encounters. Ahead of their home game versus the two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh shared some advice for Virat Kohli.

Kohli has had a good run in IPL 2023, with 279 runs in seven matches including four half-centuries. While he has been impressive in the powerplays, he tends to slow down in the middle overs with the spinners operating in tandem. Ahead of the RCB-KKR face-off, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday (April 26), Bhajji feels the onus is on Kohli, who has been the stand-in captain in the past two encounters with Faf du Plessis playing only as an impact player, to deliver the goods for Bengaluru.

“Virat Kohli will have to take the responsibility to keep RCB up. His partnership with Faf will be crucial. Virat and Faf are in good form and this will always give relief to RCB,” Harbhajan told Star Sports.

Kohli has struck at 141.62 in IPL 2023. He has struck at 171 versus pacers, averaging 75, but struggled against spin — striking at 103 with an average of 22.25 along with four dismissals. Thus, it has been one of the reasons for RCB slowing down in the end overs — managing only 37 in the last four overs versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) and 27 during the same period versus Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their previous tie.

Will Kohli go bonkers and also progress ahead at a healthy strike rate versus KKR this evening? Only time will tell…