Virat Kohli surpassed his former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Chris Gayle’s record for most centuries in the Indian Premier League even as his side’s playoff hopes came to a close on Sunday in Bengaluru.
The former RCB captain finished unbeaten on 101* off 61 balls. RCB finished with 197/5 in 20 overs. But a sensational inning by Shubman Gill, also a century and also back-to-back to power Gujarat Titans home
Kohli followed up his century in Hyderabad with another magnificent innings against Gujarat Titans.
While that knock came in a run-chase, Kohli’s seventh century was a stunning innings in a must-win match for RCB. While he was off to a flying start, he had to check himself as wickets fell around him. He then exploded at the back-end once again. His century came at the start of the final over of the innings.
“Lot of people think that my T20 cricket is declining, I don’t feel like that at all,” Kohli said after the innings in an interview with the broadcasters.
“I think I am playing my best T20 cricket again. I’m just enjoying myself. This is how I play T20 cricket, I look to hit gaps, hit a lot of boundaries and then the big ones towards the end if the situation allows me to. You have to read situations and rise up to the occasion when the situation demands. I feel really good with my game at the moment and how I’m batting.”
It was, of course, a must-win for RCB after MI defeated SRH earlier in the day. And a defeat ended their campaign.
Kohli became the first batter to score two centuries in the ongoing season of IPL and Gill joined him soon after. And Kohli was only the third batter to score consecutive centuries in IPL, also joined by Gill soon after.