“Old Generation Is Still the Best”: Gavaskar Hails Kohli After Record Century
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli delivered a historic performance against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Raipur, scoring his ninth Indian Premier League century to anchor a 193-run chase. Bouncing back from consecutive scoreless innings, Kohli secured his status as the first Indian cricketer to reach 10 centuries in the T20 format.
Gavaskar Praises Kohli’s Chasing Expertise
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar commended the RCB opener for his systematic approach to run chases. Speaking on the match broadcast, Gavaskar noted that Kohli’s innings silenced critics who suggested the modern T20 game had moved past traditional anchors.
“Virat Kohli knows how to construct a chase better than most players in world cricket,” Gavaskar stated. “While everyone was talking about this being the season of ‘Gen Next’, Kohli showed he is still around. He proved that the old generation is still the best.”
Breaking T20 Run-Scoring Records
During the successful 193-run chase against KKR, Kohli reached another significant milestone by becoming the fastest player to accumulate 14,000 runs in T20 cricket. He now sits third on the all-time list for T20 centuries, trailing only West Indian Chris Gayle and Pakistani batsman Babar Azam.
Most Centuries in Men’s T20 Cricket
| Player | T20 Centuries | Career T20 Runs |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | 22 | 14,562 |
| Babar Azam | 11 | 10,495 |
| Virat Kohli | 10 | 14,000 |
Impact on the Orange Cap Race
The match-winning hundred elevated Kohli to third place in the season’s leading run-scorer standings. According to official data from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Kohli’s consistency in high-pressure situations remains a statistical outlier in franchise cricket.
Gavaskar summarized the broader impact of the innings, stating that records are meant to be broken, but Kohli’s ability to consistently deliver under pressure will be difficult for future generations to replicate. The innings serves as a definitive statement regarding the ongoing value of experienced batsmen in the evolving T20 format.