IPL 2026: Virat Kohli says he is savouring cricket after record century vs KKR

Virat Kohli’s record-breaking night against Kolkata Knight Riders was filled with milestones, but it was his words after the match that truly stood out. After smashing a match-winning century in Raipur, the RCB star admitted that he is no longer obsessed with records and is instead simply trying to enjoy every moment he still has left in cricket.

Kohli guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over KKR with a sensational unbeaten 105 off 60 balls, helping RCB climb back to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. The knock also saw him become the fastest batter to 14,000 T20 runs while surpassing Chris Gayle, besides becoming the most capped player in IPL history with his 279th appearance in the tournament. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Kohli reflected on how his relationship with the game has changed at this stage of his career.

RCB vs KKR: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD

“Well, I just love batting, even after all this. That’s my core feeling,” Kohli said after the win.

“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.”

The 37-year-old, who has already retired from T20Is and Test cricket, also acknowledged that the end of his playing career is no longer a distant thought. While conversations continue around him potentially leading India’s charge at the 2027 ODI World Cup, Kohli admitted that he now approaches the game with far more gratitude than pressure around numbers or milestones.

“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,” Kohli said.

“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 pressure situations.”

The century also came at a crucial moment for Kohli personally.

Before the KKR game, the RCB opener had walked into Raipur under pressure after registering back-to-back ducks against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians. Across those two innings, Kohli had faced just three deliveries combined, something that quickly became one of the biggest talking points around RCB despite the team continuing to win.

Against KKR though, Kohli responded in classic fashion.

He survived an early scare when Rovman Powell dropped him on 21, but Kolkata ended up paying heavily for the missed opportunity. Kohli reached his fifty in just 32 balls before taking complete control of the chase alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who helped maintain the momentum through the middle overs.

The RCB star eventually brought up his century with a single off Vaibhav Arora in the penultimate over before Jitesh Sharma sealed the chase in style.

HOW VIRAT KOHLI TURNED PRESSURE INTO A CENTURY

Kohli admitted after the match that the brief lean patch had actually helped sharpen his focus again heading into the KKR clash.

“When you look back, those failures are so important because they put you back into the place that gets you the performances in the first place and it doesn’t let you go off your intense best,” Kohli said.

“So I think that’s why people say pressure is a privilege. And of course, I was nervous. I just wanted to get off the mark and just celebrate and have a bit of fun there.”

That celebration itself became one of the moments of the night.

After taking his first run of the innings, Kohli punched the air, laughed at himself and soaked in the loud roar from the Raipur crowd after avoiding what would have been an unwanted hat-trick of ducks.

From there, the innings only grew bigger.

Kohli’s unbeaten 105 not only ended the chatter around his form but also reminded everyone why he remains one of the defining batters of the IPL even at 37.

RCB VS KKR: PLAYOFF RACE INTENSIFIES

RCB, the defending champions, jumped to the top of the IPL 2026 points table with the clinical chase, courtesy of Kohli’s unbeaten century. Bengaluru have now moved to 16 points and are firmly pushing for a top-two finish heading into the business end of the season, although qualification is not mathematically sealed yet.

KKR, meanwhile, suffered a major setback in their push for qualification despite posting a strong total of 192 for four after Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s career-best 71 off 46 balls.

Their four-match winning streak came to an end in Raipur and their playoff hopes are now hanging by a thread. Even if Kolkata win all their remaining matches, they can only finish on 15 points, which may still not be enough depending on other results.

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