NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli's solid 44-ball 70 not out against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday earned him high praise from former India batter Mohammad Kaif. Kohli's composed knock, alongside Will Jacks blitz, left the opposition stunned as the duo powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a commanding 9-wicket victory.
Throughout this IPL, Kohli has consistently showcased his batting prowess and on Sunday reached the milestone of 500 runs for the seventh consecutive time in a season.
Kaif's commendation of Kohli's performance came amidst recent criticism surrounding the star batter's strike-rate.
Kohli's unbeaten 70 in the clash against Titans also effectively silenced his critics, demonstrating his ability to adapt and excel in various match situations.
Kaif praised the experienced star and pinpointed the importance of Kohli by recalling the six that he struck in Haris Rauf's over during India's clash against Pakistan in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup.
The fiery 166-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Will Jacks also etched the record books. It was the highest partnership scored against Titans in the history of the IPL. Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag's 130-run partnership holds second place on the highest partnership scored against the Gujarat-based side.
Kohli also equalled David Warner's record of most 500-plus runs in IPL seasons. Both Kohli and Warner have crossed the 500-run mark seven times in an IPL season.
Coming to the match, after putting GT to bat, Sai Sudharsan (86*) and Shahrukh Khan's (58) blitz powered the hosts to a competitive total of 200/3.
In reply, after skipper Faf du Plessis's dismissal, Kohli and Jacks rattled GT's bowling unit with their 166*-run stand to clinch a 9-wicket win for RCB.
(With inputs from ANI)
