New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) India legend Sunil Gavaskar hailed Virat Kohli for producing yet another masterclass under pressure after the former India skipper struck an unbeaten 105 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a six-wicket victory in their IPL 2026 clash in Raipur.

Kohli’s unbeaten 60-ball century, his ninth hundred in IPL history and 10th overall in T20 cricket, powered RCB to a successful chase of 193 with five balls to spare and lifted the side back to the top of the points table.

Reflecting on Kohli’s chase-defining knock, Gavaskar said the veteran batter once again showed why he remains among the game’s greatest performers despite the growing spotlight on younger stars this season.

“Virat Kohli was absolutely outstanding against KKR. He knows how to construct a chase better than most. When it comes to T20 centuries, he is third on the list with 10, behind Chris Gayle and Babar Azam. But he is the fastest to 14,000 T20 runs and has nine IPL hundreds. Records are there to be broken, but it will take a very long time for anyone to match what Kohli keeps delivering, game after game, season after season.

“While everyone was talking about this being the season of ‘Gen Next’, Kohli showed he is still around. He silenced the doubters with a century and moved to third in the Orange Cap race. He proved that the old generation is still the best. Even though the young stars are taking centre stage, the experienced greats are not done yet. This hundred from Virat Kohli was one of those special moments that remind us of his greatness,” Gavaskar told JioStar.

Kohli’s innings was built with trademark control and precision. After Jacob Bethell’s early dismissal, the former RCB captain steadied the chase and gradually accelerated, stitching a crucial 92-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal. He reached his fifty in 32 deliveries before shifting gears in the latter half of the innings, eventually bringing up his century in the 19th over to a thunderous reception from the Raipur crowd.

Gavaskar also pointed to a key turning point in the match, Rovman Powell’s dropped catch when Kohli was still settling into his innings. The missed opportunity proved costly as Kohli made KKR pay with a match-winning hundred.

“Before this RCB-KKR game, KKR’s efficiency with catches was still the best in the IPL this season, even after dropping a few catches. They were at the top of that table. But this one hurt badly. Rovman Powell, who has taken some stunning catches this season, was fielding inside the 30-yard circle. He had the chance to dismiss Virat Kohli early. He went up high, timed his jump well, but the ball slipped out.

“You cannot drop Kohli early in his innings. He will make you pay every single time. LSG learned that lesson the hard way. Give him an early lifeline, and he grabs it with both hands. He scored a hundred and made KKR regret that drop. That is what great players do. They don’t give you a second chance. They punish your mistakes and turn the game on its head,” Gavaskar stated.

–IANS

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