"Sometimes I mention him things on field and he says 'No, I don't want to do that'" - Virat Kohli on his camaraderie with Faf du Plessis in IPL 2022
Virat Kohli is no longer the captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However, he is still a part of the leadership group that has helped new captain Faf du Plessis in crunch situations.
Kohli stated that he has always shared a great bond with du Plessis ever since the latter was the captain of South Africa. What made the 33-year-old admire him even more was that du Plessis had the final say over decisions, although he was open to suggestions.
Speaking on the show 'RCB Insider', Virat Kohli explained how du Plessis has earned his and the entire IPL team's respect ever since becoming captain. He said:
"Me and Faf got along really well even before we played together this season. He was a captain of South Africa for a while. Faf is a guy who is very sure of himself and he has full authority."
Kohli added:
"Sometimes I mention him things on field and he says 'No, I don't want to do that,' which I respect a lot because that obviously makes you gain respect for someone you are playing under."
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RCB's Trios - King Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Faf Du Plessis - K.G.F after the today's match. https://t.co/KhnGkqehqX
Hopefully de Villiers is with RCB next year in some capacity: Virat Kohli
AB de Villiers drew the curtains on a fantastic IPL career after the end of the 2021 season. However, Virat Kohli revealed that he is still in contact with him and that the veteran South African follows RCB's matches passionately.
The 33-year-old is hopeful that de Villiers will return to RCB in some sort of role, be it in the think tank as a coach or in a different capacity. Kohli stated:
"I miss him (de Villiers) a lot. I speak to him regularly. He keeps messaging me. He was in the US to watch golf with his family and friends. He is obviously keenly watching RCB and hopefully (he is) here next year in some capacity."
Kohli and du Plessis have had slight issues setting the tempo of the innings at the top of the order. While RCB's middle order has fired on multiple occasions, they will hope that the opening combination brings them more runs going forward.