For the 16th consecutive year, Virat Kohli’s RCB failed to qualify for the playoffs after a loss to the Gujarat Titans in their last league match.
It was a interesting match that came down to the last over. RCB bowlers failed to defend a huge score in Bengaluru once again, as has been the case in the past.
Batting first on a surface with little swing for the pacers and hold for the spinners owing to thunderstorm before the match, RCB scored 197, thanks to a stunning century from Virat Kohli (101* off 61 balls).
‘King Kohli’ anchored the batting and scored at a good rate against a high quality GT attack that included Mohammed Shami, Rashid Kham, Mohit Sharma, and Noor Ahmad.
Virat Kohli scored his second consecutive century, hitting 13 fours and one six in an innings that came at an amazing strike rate of 165.57. His exceptional efforts were ruined by Shubman Gill’s undefeated century and Vijay Shankar’s half-century, which ended in a last over victory for the visitors.
Everyone felt bad for Virat Kohli, who has given his all for the team over the years. His incredible form this year has made everyone happy. The World Test Championship Final and the ICC World Cup will both take place this year.
Many ex cricketers and analysts have praised Virat Kohli’s recent form. Here are three expert opinions on Virat Kohli’s second century in IPL 2023.
1) Sunil Gavaskar – “Today’s innings was extraordinary”
The Indian batting icon praised Kohli’s performance, which came in the middle of wickets tumbling. He thought a score of close to 200 was a good one. However, his prediction turned out to be inaccurate, as GT won the game in the final over of the contest.
“Today’s innings was extraordinary. The wickets were falling around him but he kept going at the same momentum which was required. And to have a scored close to 200 is a winning score in my view. They had to bat out of their skins to get to this score. Any team that scores over 185-190 usually goes on to win the game.”
2) Sanjay Manjrekar – “This century more special than the one against SRH”
Sanjay Manjrekar is frequently in the news for his views and expert analysis on cricketing events throughout the world. He praised Kohli for his magnificent performance.
He said that Kohli’s century against GT was more spectacular than his century against SRH because of the superior caliber of the Titans attack, the larger stakes of the game, and the fact that he was the lone ranger for his side.
“This century from Kohli is more special than the previous one because the bowling attack of Gujarat Titans was far superior to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kohli also batted almost single-handedly in a pressure match and took his team to a respectable total.”
3) Chris Gayle – “I am coming back out of retirement and I will see you next year Virat”
Chris Gayle praised Virat Kohli after he shattered his IPL record for most hundreds. Chris Gayle thanked his close buddy in his trademark lighthearted fashion, claiming that he will return from retirement next year to regain his record from Kohli.
“Never doubt Virat Kohli. Fantastic innings, well played, you know, he has put his team in a winning position. Virat and Faf batted really well, but it was all about Virat Kohli… Fantastic innings by Virat, he has passed the Universe Boss. I am coming back out of retirement and I will see you next year Virat.”
With that, we conclude our article on top three expert reactions to Virat Kohli’s second century in the IPL 2023. Please share your thoughts on Virat Kohli in the comments.