Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli wrote another chapter in IPL history on Wednesday, steering his side to a five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. In the contest, Kohli struck 49 runs from 34 balls, anchoring the chase and marking a milestone that moved him ahead of KL Rahul in the all-time list of Indian openers with the most sixes in the league.
In his innings, Kohli struck only one maximum, but it proved enough to take his IPL six count to 185. Rahul sits one short on 184. Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians captain, is positioned third with 148, while Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill occupy the fourth and fifth spots respectively in the same elite category.
Beyond the opener rankings, Kohli’s overall tally places him in third position in the wider IPL six-hitters chart. He trails Chris Gayle, who leads with 326, and David Warner, who has 210.
Kohli’s match mindset and fitness update
- Kohli said he was pleased with his intensity and approach even though he was not operating at full fitness.
- He noted that his knee had been sore in the previous game, and that he had also been feeling unwell for the four or five days leading into this match.
- After the win, he added that getting himself back to his best level was the immediate focus.
- Ahead of the fixture at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kohli was seen training with his left knee heavily strapped.
Kohli’s tournament run and Orange Cap claim
- Kohli’s knock featured six boundaries and a single maximum.
- That effort took his season total to 228 runs, maintained at an average of 57.
- With those runs, he secured the Orange Cap.
- Speaking about his batting, Kohli said he began well and was happy with the intensity he brought to the crease.
- He also admitted he would have liked to continue longer and finish the job, but felt the match conditions demanded adjustments.
- Kohli pointed out that the pitch slowed down significantly, and he aimed to keep the same rhythm for as long as possible.
- He concluded that he probably should have closed out the contest as well, highlighting how the game’s pace and surface affected the finishing phase.
RCB’s win over LSG capped a productive outing for Kohli, combining a personal landmark with a timely contribution in a key IPL 2026 match.
