Virat Kohli breaks Gayle’s glorious IPL record with magnificent century vs GT | Cricket

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star batter Virat Kohli broke former teammate Chris Gayle’s long-standing Indian Premier League record, smashing his seventh century in the league on Sunday night. Kohli played a crucial knock in RCB’s must-win game against Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru, reaching his three-figure mark in 60 balls; this was Kohli’s second-successive ton in the season. The 34-year-old batter had played a 100-run knock in the side’s previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad as well.

Chris Gayle had smashed his sixth and final century in the league in the 2018 edition of the tournament, when he was still representing the Royal Challengers. Interestingly, Kohli’s last century in the tournament before this season had come in 2019 during a game against Kolkata Knight Riders; he ended the wait for a three-figure score earlier this week when he steered a successful run-chase against the Sunrisers.

Against the Titans, Kohli braved adverse conditions (due to rain in Bengaluru) and delayed start, as well as regular wickets in the middle overs to take the Royal Challengers to a strong score of 197/5 in 20 overs.

The right-handed batter made a cautious start to the innings as the rain had barely subsided when the players took the field. After analysing the conditions, both – Kohli and RCB captain Faf du Plessis – began to take the foot off the pedal, with the former taking on Yash Dayal in the fourth over of the game. He hit the Titans pacer for three successive fours and the duo eventually put 62 runs in the Powerplay.

After Du Plessis (28), Glenn Maxwell (11), and Mahipal Lomror (1) were dismissed in quick succession, Kohli resorted to rotating the strike and forged an important partnership with Michael Bracewell (26). Kohli also brought his half-century in 35 deliveries and shifted gears soon enough, even as Bracewell and Dinesh Karthik (0) were dismissed in quick intervals again.

Kohli eventually brought his century in 60 balls, taking only 25 balls for his next fifty. He scored the coveted three-figure mark in the final over of the innings against Mohit Sharma, as he pushed the delivery towards long-on for a single.

This was also Kohli’s 8th century in T20 cricket, drawing him level with Australian trio of David Warner and Aaron Finch, and Michael Klinger.