Virat Kohli, the star batter of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), set a new Indian Premier League (IPL) record by scoring his seventh century in the league. Kohli achieved this feat during RCB’s crucial match against the Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru. He reached the three-figure mark in 60 balls, marking his second consecutive century in the current season. In the previous game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kohli had also scored a century.
The previous record of six centuries in the IPL was held by former teammate Chris Gayle, who achieved the milestone during the 2018 edition of the tournament while playing for RCB. Notably, Kohli’s last century in the IPL before this season came in 2019 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. He ended the drought of century scores earlier this week with a successful run-chase against the Sunrisers.
In the match against the Titans, Kohli overcame adverse conditions due to rain and a delayed start. Despite regular wickets falling in the middle overs, he led RCB to a strong total of 197/5 in 20 overs.
At the beginning of the innings, Kohli adopted a cautious approach due to the rainy conditions. Alongside RCB captain Faf du Plessis, he gradually accelerated the scoring rate. In the fourth over, Kohli took on Titans’ pacer Yash Dayal, hitting him for three consecutive fours. The partnership between Kohli and Du Plessis resulted in 62 runs during the Powerplay.
After the dismissals of Du Plessis (28), Glenn Maxwell (11), and Mahipal Lomror (1), Kohli focused on rotating the strike and built a crucial partnership with Michael Bracewell (26). Kohli reached his half-century in 35 deliveries and then increased his scoring rate. However, Bracewell and Dinesh Karthik (0) fell in quick succession.
Kohli eventually reached his century in 60 balls, taking just 25 balls for his next fifty runs. In the final over of the innings, against Mohit Sharma, he pushed the delivery towards long-on for a single to reach the coveted three-figure mark.
This century also marked Kohli’s eighth century in T20 cricket, putting him on par with Australian players David Warner, Aaron Finch, and Michael Klinger.
In summary, Virat Kohli surpassed Chris Gayle’s record by scoring his seventh century in the IPL. He achieved this milestone during RCB’s match against the Gujarat Titans, showcasing his ability to perform under challenging circumstances. Kohli’s century propelled RCB to a competitive total and demonstrated his prowess as one of the finest batters in T20 cricket.