BENGALURU: Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and India batter Virat Kohli will be playing his 250th Indian Premier League (IPL) match on Sunday when he takes to the field against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Bengaluru, becoming the first-ever player to touch the milestone while playing for a single team.
Delhi Capitals will be locking horns against RCB at Bengaluru on Sunday. Both teams are in contention for a playoff spot. DC is in the fifth place in the points table with six wins and six losses and 12 points. On the other hand, RCB are in the seventh spot with five wins, seven losses and 10 points.
In 249 matches for RCB, Virat has scored 7.897 runs at an average of 38.71 and a strike rate of 131.63, with eight centuries and 55 fifties. His best score is 113*. He has reached the IPL final three times, in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but is yet to taste the IPL success. Virat is the highest run-getter in the tournament history and has the highest number of centuries in the tournament history.
Virat also holds the record for most runs in a single edition of the tournament, with 973 runs in 16 matches back in 2016, at an average of over 81, strike rate above 152, with four fifties and seven centuries coming from his bat. His best score is 113*.
While MS Dhoni (263), Rohit Sharma (256 matches) and Dinesh Karthik (254 matches) have played over 250 games, they have represented more than one team each.
Virat Kohli is just one century away from completing a century of centuries in professional cricket.
In the ongoing season, Virat holds the Orange Cap for the most runs, with 634 runs in 12 matches at an average of 70.44 and a strike rate of 153.51. He has scored a century and five fifties and his best score is 113*.
Virat has an illustrious record across all the formats of the game. While he would not be the be the first one or even among the first top-ten men to have 100 professional cricket centuries, it is still a fantastic feat in Virat’s legendary career.
In 145 first-class games, Virat has scored 11,097 runs at an average of 50.21 and a strike rate of 55.96, with 36 centuries and 38 fifties. His best score is 254*. This also includes his tally from 113 Tests for India, in which he has scored 8,848 runs at an average of 49.15, with 29 centuries and 30 fifties. His best score is 254*.
In 326 List-A games, Virat has scored 15,290 runs at an average of 57.48 and a strike rate of 93.61, with 54 centuries and 80 fifties. His best score is 183. This also includes the run-tally from his 292 ODIs, in which he scored 13,848 runs at an average of 58.67, with 50 centuries and 72 fifties. His best score is 183.
In 388 T20 games, Virat has scored 12,628 runs at an average of 42.09 and a strike rate of 134.31, with nine centuries and 96 fifties. His best score is 122*. This also includes his numbers for India. In 117 T20s, he has scored 4,037 runs at an average of 51.75, with a century and 37 fifties. His best score is 122*.
Virat has been fantastic against spin in this IPL, scoring at a strike rate of 138.82 against them. He has scored 261 runs in 188 balls against spin, dismissed thrice. He has smashed 15 fours and 13 sixes against spin. His average against spin is 87.00. He has made a marked improvement in his spin game, often utilising slog sweep and sweep against the moving ball.
How Virat plays against spin will be once again in the spotlight, since the T20 World Cup in West Indies and USA this year will witness the veteran play at spin-friendly, slower surfaces.
Virat has played 54 dot balls against spin, taken 89 singles and 54 doubles against spin. In the past five seasons, Virat’s overall SR against spin has been: 113.46, 108.08, 100.00, 108.91 and 130.14. His strike rate against spin was at its best in the 2016 season, where he struck at 152.30 and 2015 season, where he scored his runs at 151.21 against spin bowling. (ANI)