Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis spoke about his form and improvement in the ongoing IPL 2023 season as his opening partner Virat Kohli’s approach in the middle overs has been criticised in some quarters.
Du Plessis, who is the current Orange Cap holder with 511 runs in 10 games, has scored his runs at a strike-rate of 157.72 whereas his career IPL strike-rate is a middling 133.58 in 126 games so far.
In a chat with ‘RCB Bold Diaries’, Du Plessis stated that since the start of IPL 2023, he has been focused on playing with a better strike rate and that he now also wants to play long innings for RCB.
“I have really been quite intentional about trying to get hundreds, finding gears I can work through mid-innings period and try and get to innings as we can get 75 plus (in middle overs),” stated Du Plessis.
For RCB, Du Plessis has been a better enforcer in the middle overs than "King Kohli," hitting 40 fours and 29 sixes in the first ten games. His boundary total has increased as a result.
“In the past, I always felt like I had a decent attacking game but I felt like there was another gear in terms of taking your strike rate from 130 to 150 at least and then sometimes 160-170 so, I have worked on that a lot. But it is also important for me to try and play as much cricket as possible just to try and stay on top of my game,” concluded du Plessis.
RCB are currently fifth in the table with 10 points from 10 games and will like to win against MI at the Wankhede on Tuesday.
(PTI inputs)
