Former RCB man AB de Villiers said that Virat Kohli will play a big hand in the IPL final nd guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the elusive trophy on June 3. RCB went one step closer to their maiden title on Thursday when they defeated Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 but Kohli couldn’t make much impact with the bat, with the star getting dismissed for 12 runs.
“The first time I saw him on the screen for vs game, was when he got out of the bus, and I just saw a lot of focus in that guy. That’s the typical kind of body language we’re so used to seeing.
“And what I love most about this is — he didn’t score runs today, but we still saw him right till the end, celebrating with the batters,” De Villiers told JioHotstar.
“The ultimate team man, and he looks very, very focused. Obviously, the job’s not done yet, but I’m very excited to watch him play. I have no doubt in my mind he’s going to play a big hand in the final,” the South African added.
De Villiers also shared his thoughts about RCB’s journey and their potential to win the title this time.
“I think 2011 was a really good chance to win the title. Everyone talks about the 2016 season, but let’s forget about the past. Where are RCB now? In another final — 2025. It’s closer than you think and smaller than you think,” De Villers remarked.
“So hopefully those little moments will go in RCB’s favour, come the 3rd of June. It was around the auction time when I felt like RCB really got the balance right this year. It’s not a one-dimensional batting line-up, not a one-dimensional bowling line-up — there are options. I just loved the look of that squad when I saw it come out. They found a way to gel together as a unit. As you can see, all the players individually chipped in at times, and that is a sign of a healthy environment,” he said.
