Dharamshala, May 17 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Tim David said batting stalwart Virat Kohli never looked affected by his lean patch earlier in the season, adding that the former India captain’s mindset and consistency continue to set the tone for the franchise ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings.

Kohli recently silenced criticism with a match-winning century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the previous match after enduring a couple of low scores, but David said there was never any visible change in the veteran batter’s approach or confidence.

“To be honest, he doesn’t change; you wouldn’t have known that he had two ducks unless you’d been watching the TV or something else. It was great for him to score a hundred, great for all of our fans to see that, and it was a match-winning performance,” David told broadcasters ahead of the match.

David added that RCB’s strong campaign this season has been built on collective contributions rather than individual brilliance alone.

“We’ve had so many people in our team stepping up this season. Hopefully it’s him again or someone else, but we’re feeling pretty good,” he said.

The Australian power-hitter also praised RCB’s top order for playing fearless cricket and giving the middle-order freedom to play their roles calmly.

“At the top, we have some really classy players. Those guys play good cricketing shots; they make themselves feel confident to play aggressively and express themselves with the depth we’ve got,” David said.

He admitted that some of the lower middle-order batters have not always had enough time in the middle because of the consistency shown by the top-order batters.

“We’ve certainly got guys that don’t get enough batting as much as they’d want because we’re watching the guys put on a clinic at the top,” he noted.

Speaking about his own form, David said he has been pleased with the way he has been striking the ball throughout the season and is focused on delivering whenever the team requires him.

“To be honest, I’m just looking forward most of the time. I feel like I’ve been batting really well the whole season. I just want to put in performances for the team. I’ve been hitting the ball really well at training consistently, and hopefully when I get the chance in the middle, I can do whatever the team needs,” he said.

David also underlined the importance of composure and decision-making in pressure situations.

“It’s just about decision-making, being calm, and making the right choices at the right moments. Then obviously, when we get the chance to put our foot down, we try and do that to the best,” he added.

Meanwhile, RCB are currently placed at the top spot in the points table with 16 points in 12 matches. They will confirm their playoff birth if they beat PBKS.

–IANS

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