IPL 2023: Virat Kohli smashes 7th IPL ton; joins Jos Buttler, Shikhar Dhawan in elite list

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter, Virat Kohli, proved his mettle once again by smashing his second century of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season against the Gujarat Titans. Kohli's exceptional form from the previous match carried over to this must-win game against the defending champions, GT.

Kohli's outstanding performance in this match marked his seventh IPL century, making him the highest-scoring batsman in the tournament's history. Along with Faf du Plessis, Kohli gave RCB a flying start by adding 67 runs together. Despite losing a couple of quick wickets, Kohli remained undeterred and continued to play his strokes, keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Kohli's crucial 47-run partnership with Michael Bracewell helped RCB reach a formidable total of 197/5 in 20 overs. Kohli's unbeaten 101* from 61 balls was a testament to his exceptional batting skills and his ability to perform under pressure.

Yet another masterful knock from the run-machine #TATAIPL | #RCBvGT | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/qRySCykIXn

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 21, 2023

Kohli and du Plessis have now become the second pairing to score 900-plus runs in a single IPL season, with a total of 939 runs together in IPL 2023. Previously, Kohli and AB de Villiers had also scored 939 runs together in IPL 2016.

Kohli's impressive performance in this match also saw him equal Aaron Finch, David Warner, and Michael Klinger's record of eight centuries in the 20-over format. Additionally, Kohli became the third player to score successive IPL centuries after Shikhar Dhawan in 2020 and Jos Buttler in 2022.

READ| RCB vs GT: Virat Kohli breaks Chris Gayle’s record to achieve incredible milestone in IPL history