Virat Kohli hits the nets ahead of IPL 2023 campaign opener against Mumbai Indians

The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will start on Friday with a match between defending champions Gujarat Titans and four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). RCB will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home arena, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 2. This time around, having shown fantastic form in Indian colours since last year's Asia Cup 2022 after months of battling inconsistency, Virat will look forward to putting behind his horrific 2022 IPL season with the bat. In 16 matches, he scored only 341 runs at an average of 22.73, with just two half-centuries and the best score of 73.

Star India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli took part in a nets session ahead of the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will start from Friday. The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will start on Friday, with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK). RCB will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru on April 2.

The official Twitter handle of RCB shared some visuals of Kohli hitting some eye-pleasing lofted shots and drives in a "Do Not Disturb" mode. "Fueled by passion, unmatched commitment, and with sheer focus, the GOAT is getting ready for #IPL2023. Kohli in Do Not Disturb mode! #PlayBold #nmmRCB@imVkohli," tweeted RCB.

Having shown a rich vein of form in India colours since last year's Asia Cup, after a prolonged lean run with the willow, Virat will look forward to putting behind his horrific 2022 IPL season with the bat. In 16 matches, he scored only 341 runs at an average of 22.73, with just two half-centuries and the best score of 73. He is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, having scored 6,624 runs in 223 matches at an average of 36.20. He has five centuries and 44 fifties to his name, with a best score of 113.

IPL fans saw Virat at the peak of his batting prowess in the 2016 season. In that season, which saw RCB making it to the final of the cash-rich league, Virat smashed 973 runs in 16 matches at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03. He smashed four centuries and seven fifties in that season, with the best score of 113. Fans will be hoping that Virat regains his touch after a setback last year and roll back the years with the willow. Last year, RCB qualified for playoffs and lost to Rajasthan Royals in qualifier 2 by seven wickets.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Squad strength: 25 players (overseas 8) Players bought during IPL 2023 auction - Reece Topley (Rs 1.9 crore), Himanshu Sharma (Rs 20 lakh), Will Jacks (Rs 3.2 crore), Manoj Bhandage (Rs 20 lakh), Rajan Kumar (Rs 70 lakh), Avinash Singh (Rs 60 lakh).

Players retained - Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep. (ANI)

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