<p>Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis is confident Virat Kohli will overcome his IPL batting slump.</p>.<p>Kohli took his Indian Premier League tally this season to just 128 runs from nine matches after scoring a scratchy nine in the defeat to Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday following two golden ducks.</p>.<p>Moved up to open the batting, Kohli was inches away from failing to score for a third match in a row with a shot that fell just short of a fielder.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/will-kohli-rawat-be-benched-misfiring-rcb-top-order-has-hesson-worried-1103707.html" target="_blank">Will Kohli, Rawat be benched? Misfiring RCB top order has Hesson worried</a></strong></p>.<p>The former India captain remained jittery and lasted only 10 balls before an attempted pull shot off Prasidh Krishna was edged on to his helmet to give a catch at cover point.</p>.<p>"Great players go through things like this and great characters have to find a way to get through it," Du Plessis said after his team fell 29 runs short of a modest target of 145.</p>.<p>"Our thinking was to get him into the game straight away so he does not sit on the side and think too much about the game.</p>.<p>"He is a fantastic cricketer, so we still back him that he will turn it around and it's just the case of getting a good start."</p>.<p>Kohli, one of the best batsmen of the modern era, has failed to score a century for more than two years for club or country and departed first ball in his previous two IPL innings.</p>.<p>He has been the flagbearer for Indian cricket and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), for whom he amassed a record 973 runs in the 2016 edition of the Twenty20 tournament.</p>.<p>"He is a great player and seen many ups and downs in his career," Bangalore coach Sanjay Bangar told reporters.</p>.<p>"I have seen him up close and he is a fighter. So he will come out of this run of low scores in the last three matches and will soon get us a win."</p>.<p>Bangar, who worked as India batting coach with Kohli, said he "possesses the art of coming out of difficult situations".</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/take-a-break-virat-kohli-1102328.html" target="_blank">Take a break, Virat Kohli</a></strong></p>.<p>"His mental capability is such that he will do well in the upcoming games."</p>.<p>The match also saw England's Jos Buttler, the 2022 IPL's highest scorer with 499 runs and three sparkling centuries, make just eight, his lowest of the season.</p>.<p>Former India coach Ravi Shastri called for Kohli to take a break and come back refreshed.</p>.<p>"He has played non-stop cricket, captained the team across formats. It would be wise of him to take a break," Shastri said on an internet chat show.</p>.<p>Former Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori said he still believed Kohli could play a key part for the team, who are searching for their first IPL title.</p>.<p>"If RCB can scrape through the semi-finals (play-offs) there is no reason why he can't be the person who takes them to the title," Vettori told ESPNcricinfo.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis is confident Virat Kohli will overcome his IPL batting slump.</p>.<p>Kohli took his Indian Premier League tally this season to just 128 runs from nine matches after scoring a scratchy nine in the defeat to Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday following two golden ducks.</p>.<p>Moved up to open the batting, Kohli was inches away from failing to score for a third match in a row with a shot that fell just short of a fielder.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/will-kohli-rawat-be-benched-misfiring-rcb-top-order-has-hesson-worried-1103707.html" target="_blank">Will Kohli, Rawat be benched? Misfiring RCB top order has Hesson worried</a></strong></p>.<p>The former India captain remained jittery and lasted only 10 balls before an attempted pull shot off Prasidh Krishna was edged on to his helmet to give a catch at cover point.</p>.<p>"Great players go through things like this and great characters have to find a way to get through it," Du Plessis said after his team fell 29 runs short of a modest target of 145.</p>.<p>"Our thinking was to get him into the game straight away so he does not sit on the side and think too much about the game.</p>.<p>"He is a fantastic cricketer, so we still back him that he will turn it around and it's just the case of getting a good start."</p>.<p>Kohli, one of the best batsmen of the modern era, has failed to score a century for more than two years for club or country and departed first ball in his previous two IPL innings.</p>.<p>He has been the flagbearer for Indian cricket and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), for whom he amassed a record 973 runs in the 2016 edition of the Twenty20 tournament.</p>.<p>"He is a great player and seen many ups and downs in his career," Bangalore coach Sanjay Bangar told reporters.</p>.<p>"I have seen him up close and he is a fighter. So he will come out of this run of low scores in the last three matches and will soon get us a win."</p>.<p>Bangar, who worked as India batting coach with Kohli, said he "possesses the art of coming out of difficult situations".</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/take-a-break-virat-kohli-1102328.html" target="_blank">Take a break, Virat Kohli</a></strong></p>.<p>"His mental capability is such that he will do well in the upcoming games."</p>.<p>The match also saw England's Jos Buttler, the 2022 IPL's highest scorer with 499 runs and three sparkling centuries, make just eight, his lowest of the season.</p>.<p>Former India coach Ravi Shastri called for Kohli to take a break and come back refreshed.</p>.<p>"He has played non-stop cricket, captained the team across formats. It would be wise of him to take a break," Shastri said on an internet chat show.</p>.<p>Former Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori said he still believed Kohli could play a key part for the team, who are searching for their first IPL title.</p>.<p>"If RCB can scrape through the semi-finals (play-offs) there is no reason why he can't be the person who takes them to the title," Vettori told ESPNcricinfo.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>