AB de Villiers, following Royal Challengers Bangalore’s sensational win over Mumbai Indians, believes that Gujarat Titans are the favorites to lift the IPL 2023 trophy, not RCB. While he wishes for Faf du Plessis-led side to win their maiden title in the competition, he clarified that he was not ready to change his prediction at that moment.
Despite his prediction, AB de Villiers acknowledged that RCB has a very balanced squad with plenty of firepower to go the distance.
He expressed his desire for RCB to win the title and mentioned that he has felt the team has had a great squad since last year. “Hopefully, RCB goes all the way,” he said when asked about the potential winner in an interview with NDTV.
“A long time ago, during the IPL auction, I had said that Gujarat Titans are going to go back-to-back. I am going to stick to that, even though I really want RCB to win. Since last year I have felt that they have a really great team, very well-balanced. They have enough power,” the former RCB player’s statement reads.
When asked about Virat Kohli’s performance, AB de Villiers mentioned that he had noticed a change in Kohli’s demeanor during interviews, observing that he had never seen Kohli laugh so much before. De Villiers believed that Kohli’s decision to let go of the captaincy had played a crucial role in helping him relax and perform well.
In the opening game against Mumbai Indians, Virat Kohli displayed his meticulous skills, scoring an unbeaten 82 runs off just 49 deliveries. His phenomenal innings helped RCB secure an eight-wicket victory against the Rohit Sharma-led side.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) now next play their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the 6th of April. The IPL will be returning to the Eden Gardens after a long time just like the other venues. Before the match, RCB currently sits 3rd in the points table and would look to go to the top of the table with a good performance.