Virat Kohli's top 3 IPL knocks at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
Another IPL season and another capitulation from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Despite Virat Kohli leading the top scorers' list in the 17th edition of the tournament, RCB has been shambolic, to say the least. They have already lost seven games and are on the brink of elimination.
Right from the auction table, things have gone pear-shaped for Bengaluru. An over-emphasizing of the batting unit has made the bowling department look absolutely fragile with no wicket-taking options in their bank. None of the bowlers have made an impact with most teams smashing them to all corners of the ground.
Amidst all this chaos and drama from the team's perspective, Kohli has gone about his business with a calm demeanor. The right-handed batter has batted superbly and has already scored 379 runs at an astonishing average of 62. While there have been questions raised on his strike rate, the stats tell a different story.
He has scored at a strike rate of 150, which is much more than his overall IPL strike rate. For a batter so consistent, these are magical numbers. However, what has affected the team is the performance of the other players. plessis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell have struggled for runs, which is the reason behind them languishing at the bottom of the points table.
Bengaluru will face the SunRisers Hyderabad in the 41st match of the competition on Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. This will be the final opportunity for RCB to keep their slim hopes of finishing in the top four alive. It will be a massive challenge for the bowlers with the SRH batting line-up piling the agony on the opposition bowlers.
With a few hours still to go for the match to commence, let us have a look at three of Virat Kohli's best IPL knocks at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
#3 71 off 51 deliveries vs Deccan Chargers in 2011
Back in 2011, the young Virat Kohli showed his class in a run chase but was not supported by his teammates. He scored a brilliant 71 against the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but the knock wasn't enough to take their side over the finish line.
On the back of a brilliant knock (61 off 35) from Bharat Chipli and useful contributions from Kumar Sangakkara and JP Duminy, the Chargers posted a more than challenging score of 175 in their allotted 20 overs. For RCB, Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets to his name.
RCB were in early trouble after being reduced to 29/4. The young Virat Kohli handled the pressure superbly and batted sensibly in the middle overs as his partners were going after the order. He finally found an able ally in Cheteshwar Pujara.
The duo shared a 62-run stand but the Chargers again sensed an opening after Pujara's departure. Dale Steyn and Dan Christian came storming in and wiped out the tail. Kohli's knock of 71 included five delightful fours and three sixes. The Deccan Chargers eventually won the game by 33 runs.
#2 44* off 19 deliveries vs SunRisers Hyderabad in 2015
In a rain-truncated game in Hyderabad back in 2015, Virat Kohli showed his class in run chases, scoring an exceptional 19 ball 44 to take his side over the finish line. In a game reduced to an 11-over affair, SRH posted a commendable score of 135 in 11 overs.
David Warner and Moises Henriques scored quickfire half-centuries to get them to a massive score. Rain played spoilsport yet again and this time, RCB were set a revised target of 83 in six overs. Chris Gayle came out all guns blazing and smashed a 10-ball 35 to lay the foundation.
However, the SRH bowlers came back strongly by dismissing Gayle and AB de Villiers. Kohli again showed his class in a crunch situation. He managed to outsmart Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the final over but had luck on his side.
Kohli sliced the final delivery up in the air and David Warner, despite taking the catch, stepped on the boundary cushions to hand RCB a nail-biting win. His knock 44-run knock included three fours and as many sixes as RCB chased it down with a delivery to spare.
#1 100 off 63 deliveries vs SunRisers Hyderabad in 2023
Landmarks and milestones go hand in hand with Virat Kohli and it was one such occasion when the 'King' scored his first century at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. It was one of those familiar occasions when Kohli stepped up in a run chase and played an instrumental role in RCB winning the game by eight wickets.
Riding on an incredible 104 off 51 deliveries from Heinrich Klaasen, the SunRisers Hyderabad posted a challenging score of 186 in their 20 overs. The RCB bowlers controlled the game well before Klaasen came and demolished them to all corners.
RCB needed a good start and it was provided by their openers Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. They took advantage of the fielding restrictions and kept rotating the strike in the middle overs. The boundaries kept coming quite consistently which didn't allow the pressure to climb.
When Kohli was eventually dismissed in the 18th over, RCB were within touching distance of the victory target. His knock of 100 came in just 63 deliveries and was studded with 12 fours and four sixes. It was Glenn Maxwell and Michael Bracewell who finished it off with four deliveries left.