Virat Kohli matches Rohit Sharma in legendary IPL record list with century vs KKR in Raipur
Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 105 off 60 against KKR in Raipur, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win vs KKR. The century helped Kohli equal Rohit Sharma’s tally of most Player of the Match awards by an Indian in IPL. RCB, in the meantime, move to the top of the table.
Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli once again proved his mettle in the blockbuster clash against Kolkata Knight Riders in the ongoing IPL 2026. After two consecutive ducks, the Delhi-born returned to his natural form, scoring a century, as Bengaluru registered a comfortable six-wicket win. Kohli remained unbeaten for 105 runs off 60 balls, while Devdutt Padikkal played an important part, scoring 39.
The former RCB captain, Kohli, was eventually adjudged the Player of the Match for his heroics. With that, he matched Rohit Sharma on the list of most POTM winners as Indians in IPL history. Overall, the duo is third on the list, as AB de Villiers tops with 25, while Chris Gayle has 22.
Most POTM awards in an Indian in IPL:
| Player | POTM awards won |
| Virat Kohli | 21 |
| Rohit Sharma | 21 |
| MS Dhoni | 18 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 17 |
| KL Rahul | 17 |
| Yusuf Pathan | 16 |
Cricket is absolutely something I truly love: Kohli
During his post-match presentation, Kohli reflected on breaking records and what still pushes him at 37 years of age. Notably, it was his ninth century, which is the most by a cricketer in the history of the IPL and it was also his 279th appearance in the league, which is the most as he broke MS Dhoni’s feat.
“Well, I just love batting, even after all this. You know, that's my core feeling. Look, what an honour to be playing at this level. What an honour to be competing with the very best in the world still. This is all I've done all my life. Cricket is absolutely something that I truly love. And I just give my heart and soul out there on the field, whether I'm fielding or batting, because it's going to finish one day. And I want to make the most of every day that I'm on the field and just enjoy myself and have a lot of fun and look forward to a pressure situation, look forward to scenarios where I'm feeling a bit of heat,” Kohli said in the post-match presentation.
“And then I challenge myself to say, you know what, just go for it. And when you cross the line, it makes you a better player. And sport, as you know, teaches you a lot as a person as well. So you build your character slowly and surely when you keep performing under pressure. And for me, even after all these years and numbers and whatever you said, it's still the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. And that joy is still there. And it's all God's grace. And I'm very thankful and grateful,” he added.
Now, with the win, Bengaluru moved to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. They have more or less confirmed their seat in the playoffs, while a defeat for KKR means that the Ajinkya Rahane-led side is almost out of the competition. However, they are mathematically still alive and would want to push for the spot.
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