Kohli has silenced doubters: Gavaskar
Batting maestro Virat Kohli proved that the “old generation is still the best” with his unbeaten century against Kolkata Knight Riders, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said while lavishing praise on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star for silencing doubters in the ongoing IPL.
Coming off two successive ducks, the 37-year-old Kohli smashed an unbeaten hundred to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over KKR and move to the top of the points table here on Wednesday.
“Virat Kohli was absolutely outstanding against KKR. He knows how to construct a chase better than most,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports’ ‘Amul Cricket Live’. “While everyone was talking about this being the season of ‘Gen Next’, Kohli showed he is still around. He silenced the doubters with a century and moved to third in the Orange Cap race. He proved that the old generation is still the best.”
Gavaskar highlighted Kohli’s staggering consistency in the shortest format and said his records may stand untouched for a long time.
“When it comes to T20 centuries, he is third on the list with 10, behind Chris Gayle and Babar Azam. But he is the fastest to 14,000 T20 runs and has nine IPL hundreds. Records are there to be broken, but it will take a very long time for anyone to match what Kohli keeps delivering, game after game, season after season,” he said.
“This hundred from Virat Kohli was one of those special moments that remind us of his greatness.” Gavaskar also pointed to the dropped catch of Kohli by KKR as a decisive turning point in the contest.
“Before this RCB-KKR game, KKR’s efficiency with catches was still the best in the IPL this season. But this one hurt badly,” he said.
“Rovman Powell had the chance to dismiss Virat Kohli early. He went up high, timed his jump well, but the ball slipped out. You cannot drop Kohli early in his innings. He will make you pay every single time.”
“He scored a hundred and made KKR regret that drop. That is what great players do. They don’t give you a second chance.”
