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The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fought to reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 playoffs till the very end, but the masterclass of Shubman Gill ended their chances in the final game of the league stage. This result meant the side finished sixth on the points table, but it takes nothing away from the performance of two of their batters, who were two of the best for their team this season.
Leading from the front were two leaders of the dressing room. One was a former skipper and the other is a current skipper who opened the innings and often carried the team past 100 runs single-handedly. They are Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, and the two of them divided 14 half-centuries between them.
South Africa du Plessis might have been unlucky to miss out on winning the Orange Cap after leading the list for most of the season but he was undoubtedly the best batter for RCB in IPL 2023. The stylish right-handed batter managed to score 730 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 153.68 and an average of 56.15. He is also on top of the list for the most half-centuries this season.
Du Plessis smashed eight this season, two more than David Warner of Delhi Capitals, his own teammate Kohli, and CSK stalwart Devon Conway.
Virat Kohli hit two centuries and six half-centuries, finishing the season with 639 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 139.82 and an average of 53.25. This was the best season in the last three IPL campaigns for the former India skipper, who has found his mojo after a tough run of form during the Covid pandemic.
Players with the most half-centuries in IPL 2023:
8: Faf du Plessis (RCB)
6: David Warner (DC)
6: Virat Kohli: (RCB)
6: Devon Conway (CSK)
5: Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR)
5: Glenn Maxwell (RCB)
5: Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
About the IPL 2023 GT vs CSK Final:
Young and uncapped batter Sai Sudharsan led the charge in the first innings as GT set CSK an imposing target of 215 in the IPL 2023 final. His innings finished at 96 runs off just 47 balls, at a strike rate of 204.25 with 8 fours and 6 sixes to his name. He failed to complete his century after being caught LBW by CSK pacer Matheesha Pathirana.
Sudharsan stepped up to the occasion after the early wicket of the in-form Shubman Gill, who is also the current Orange Cap holder as well. After the bright start that openers Wriddhiman Saha and Gill gave GT, hitting 62 runs in the Powerplay.
Gill managed 39 off 20 balls, but his wicket via a brilliant stumping by MS Dhoni, gave way to Sudharsan.
After a long rain interruption, the match restarted at 12:10 with a revised target of 171 in 15 overs. CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway made the most of the conditions with an opening wicket partnership of 74 runs before Gaikwad was caught by Rashid Khan off Noor Ahmad's bowling, scoring 26 runs in 16 balls.
Conway was the main aggressor and managed 47 off 25 balls before Noor struck again as the New Zealander holed the ball straight to Mohit Sharma. Then coming to the party was Shivam Dube (32* off 21) and Ajinkya Rahane (27 off 13). The duo had a very important partnership of 39 runs from 23 balls which took CSK closer to the target.
After Rahane's wicket, Ambati Rayudu (19 off 8) took over as MS Dhoni was caught out for a Golden Duck. Many thought it was game over for CSK but Sir Ravindra Jadeja (15 off 6) had other plans. He hit a six and a four in the final two balls of the match to seal Chennai Super Kings' fifth IPL trophy.
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