Virat Kohli once again made the IPL feel like his personal stage. On Wednesday in Raipur, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter struck an unbeaten 105 against Kolkata Knight Riders, steering his side to victory. It was a statement innings after consecutive low scores—two straight ducks—against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.
The 37-year-old’s knock wasn’t just important for the result; it also shifted the league conversation. With this win, RCB moved to the top of the table, claiming the defending champions’ eighth triumph in 12 matches. Kohli’s “Chasemaster” impact was felt immediately, turning pressure into momentum.
Quick facts: Kohli’s landmark haul vs KKR
- Kohli scored an unbeaten 105 against Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur.
- It was his tenth T20 century, the most by an Indian batter in the format.
- He became the fastest batter to reach 14,000 T20 runs in 409 innings.
- Kohli’s 105 was the highest T20 score at Raipur, surpassing Kane Williamson’s 101.
- RCB’s win ended KKR’s three-match winning run in the tournament.
Milestones stacked during the unbeaten 105
Kohli’s century against KKR marked his tenth hundred in T20 cricket—an IPL-era record for Indians in this format. He also joined an elite group of batters to reach 10 or more T20 centuries, alongside Chris Gayle (22), Babar Azam (13), and David Warner (10).
In IPL-specific landmarks, the innings pushed him further ahead. Kohli now leads the all-time century list in the league with nine hundreds, while Jos Buttler sits second with seven. The gap is a reminder of how consistently Kohli has delivered big scores across seasons and situations.
Beyond the milestone century count, Kohli also raced through career run territory. He became the quickest batter to reach 14,000 runs in T20 cricket, doing it in 409 innings, and he was the first Indian to cross that mark.
There was also a separate durability milestone during the same spell. Kohli (279) overtook both Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, who were tied at 278 each, to become the most-capped player in the competition.
Raipur record, bounce-back century, and partnership notes
The 105 did more than change the match; it rewrote local history. Kohli’s score became the highest total by a batter in T20s at Raipur, replacing the previous best of 101 set by Kane Williamson.
It was also a rare form reversal. Kohli became the first batter in the IPL to score a hundred after back-to-back ducks, and the fifth such instance in T20 cricket overall. That bounce-back element made the innings stand out even more against KKR’s challenge.
Middle-order momentum came through his work with Devdutt Padikkal. Their 92-run stand was the 10th partnership of 50 or more between the two in IPL matches, which itself is a record.
There were even finer details inside the innings. Kohli scored 46 of his 105 runs from the midwicket region, a personal best, and only six batters have ever managed more runs from that area in an IPL innings.
With Kohli’s brilliance carrying the chase, RCB also dealt a direct blow to KKR’s campaign rhythm. The result snapped KKR’s three-match winning streak in the tournament, leaving the defending champions firmly in control of the league standings.
