After a hard-fought half-century against the Gujarat Titans on Sunday, Virat Kohli's batting form in the Indian Premier League season took a pleasant turn for the better.
To assist his team set a total of 170 for 6, the former Royal Challengers Bangalore captain batted 58 off 53 balls, striking six boundaries and one six. Kohli's effort could provide RCB's batting group with a confidence boost as the club advances into the second half of the group stage, despite the Titans chasing down the mark with three balls to spare to win by six wickets.
"Today was a significant step forward in the right direction. Cricket is a major game of confidence, and Virat Kohli will need a lot of it. After the game, captain Faf du Plessis remarked, "Just getting a great solid 50, striking the ball in the centre, the confidence is going to be huge for him and for us."
Kohli's performance has been a source of concern for the squad, fans, and analysts alike, with former India coach Ravi Shastri advising the 33-year-old to take a vacation from cricket to recharge and extend his international career.
Kohli scored 128 runs in the RCB's first nine games this season, failing to reach double figures in five of them, including two ducks.
Kohli, on the other hand, scored his first fifty of the season in the tenth game. And the shift in form has come at a good time for du Plessis.