Virat Kohli on Thursday became the first and only cricketer to get to 6000 runs in the IPL, a feat that impressed a lot of former and current cricketers. Of those in awe of Virat Kohli is former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who reckons his achievement will pave the way for other cricketers to follow suit.
The legacy of Virat Kohli continued to grow as the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain became the first player in IPL history to reach an incredible landmark. Sunil Gavaskar praised him by saying he will raise the standards of other batsmen like Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina who also have scored above 5000 runs.
Virat Kohli’s Feat Stands Right At The Top: Sunil Gavaskar
The 32-year-old, who had played his first IPL match against KKR in 2008, extended his all-time run-scoring record over other batsmen in the cash-rich league by getting to 6021 runs in 196 matches. He has five hundred and 40 fifties beside his name.
Chasing a target of 178 against Rajasthan Royals, Virat Kohli (72* off 47) forged a 181-run opening partnership with Devdutt Padikkal (101* off 52) and helped RCB reclaim the top spot in the points table. So far, they have won all four of their matches.
“It stands right at the top, for the simple reason that when you’re the first to get to a particular landmark, you’re setting the bar for others. And now the others will want to get to 6000, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, who have gone past 5000. They will be looking to get to 6000 because that is what the No. 1 player does,” Gavaskar said of Kohli’s achievement on Star Sports.
Virat Kohli reached the landmark during RCB’s game against Rajasthan Royals. The RCB captain remained unbeaten on 72 off 47 balls including six fours and three sixes as he and Devdutt Padikkal added an unbeaten 181-run stand for the opening wicket, helping the team reach the stiff target inside 17 overs.
After him, Suresh Raina has 5448 runs in 197 IPL games while Rohit Sharma has 5431 runs in 205 games and Shikhar Dhawan has 5428 runs in 180 games. The Indian quartet is followed by overseas batsmen David Warner, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle.
Virat Kohli Took A Backseat As Devditt Padikkal Was Batting Well At The Other End: Sunil Gavaskar
Prior to the match, Virat Kohli needed 51 runs, and upon completing his half-century, the RCB captain took the backseat as Devdutt Padikkal fired on all cylinders. Sunil Gavaskar feels this is a unique feature of Virat Kohli’s batting, one that is synonymous with his greatness.
“To see the way he got to it was also amazing. He didn’t scratch about; he was hitting the ball fluently. Yes, he took a backseat as he himself said because Devdutt Padikkal was batting so well at the other end. And that’s what opening partnerships are all about. Therefore, this feat, as far as the IPL is concerned, I think every time you get to a particular landmark, the first is right at the top,” Gavaskar added.
The 71-year-old praised RCB skipper Virat Kohli and his opening partner centurion Devdutt Padikkal for their ‘sublime’ performances. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar looked mighty impressed after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) thrashed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 10 wickets in match 16 of IPL 2021 in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
32-year-old and arguably the world’s best batsman Virat Kohli had to take the backseat in front of a 20-year-old free-slowing Devdutt Padikkal. He showed immense power while showcasing the general elegance of a left-hand batsman. On the other hand, the swashbuckling right-hander completed his 40th IPL fifty with a single before scoring a boundary towards deep fine leg to become the first player to score 6,000 runs in IPL.