IPL 2024 witnessed Virat Kohli’s extraordinary unbeaten knock of 113 runs against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) while donning the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jersey. This monumental feat at Jaipur’s stadium marked Kohli’s eighth century in the IPL, further etching his name in the competition’s record books.
Despite the appearance of a deceptively batting-friendly wicket, Kohli’s ton came off a laborious 67 deliveries, as the pitch turned out to be troublesome for batters. The Indian icon now shares the dubious distinction of scoring the IPL’s slowest hundred, as Manish Pandey set the unenviable record against the Deccan Chargers in 2009.
“The wicket seemed quite different at first glance. From the outside, it appeared as though the pitch would allow easy stroke-making; however, it proved to be slow, discussing us to reassess our approach and respond accordingly.”
With a strategic mindset and the will to bat till the end, Kohli acknowledged the need to maintain a fine balance between caution and aggression. He elaborated further:
“One of us (Virat or Faf) had to stay put and see the innings through. I knew over-eagerness could backfire, so I focused on keeping the bowlers guessing throughout the match. Sachin Tendulkar, David Warner, and Jos Buttler are also part of this list, after crossing the 100-run mark in 66 deliveries.”
In a thrilling encounter, Kohli dazzled the audience with his resolute performance, ensuring RCB’s continued involvement in the URC, a testament to his loyalty for the Indian Premier League and undying passion for the sport.
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