Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Faf du Plessis has revealed that Virat Kohli was his biggest supporter during his three-year tenure as the team's leader. Du Plessis said Kohli's backing played a crucial role in helping him take charge of RCB and build confidence in a high-pressure environment. Ahead of the 2022 IPL season, when RCB signed du Plessis at the auction, the franchise's director of cricket, Mike Hesson, asked him whether he would be interested in captaining the side. Soon after, Kohli sent him a message expressing his happiness with the decision and saying that he could not have asked for a better captain to take over. Du Plessis admitted that Kohli's support made him feel accepted and confident about taking on the responsibility. He also explained that leading RCB came with enormous pressure, as fans often wanted Kohli to return as captain whenever the team lost a match. According to du Plessis, having Kohli's unconditional support made it much easier to handle those expectations. Kohli had led RCB from 2013 to 2021 before stepping down to manage his workload and focus on batting. Du Plessis subsequently captained the franchise for three seasons from 2022 to 2024, during which the two players developed a close friendship. He also shared a humorous detail about their relationship, revealing that Kohli introduced him to luxury watches and encouraged him to buy expensive timepieces. Du Plessis joked that Kohli had become the most expensive relationship of his life because of the costly watches he had inspired him to purchase.
