Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra praised Virat Kohli for becoming the fastest batter to reach 14000 T20 runs during his century knock against Kolkata Knight Riders at Raipur on Wednesday. Chasing 193 runs for the win, Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 105 runs off just 60 balls with the help of 11 fours and three sixes.

This was Kohli’s ninth century in the IPL and he was also awarded Player of the Match for getting his team over the line. Kohli had the rub of the green on his side as Rovman Powell dropped a tough chance in the sixth over.

“He has become the fastest to 14,000 T20 runs. This is an incredible stat. It’s being celebrated that he has scored nine centuries in the IPL, which is commendable as no one has done that, and in fact, no one has scored more than seven, but 14,000 runs in 409 games (innings), I think that’s a phenomenal number,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

Chopra hailed Kohli for his consistency and moulding his game according to match situations, opposition and pressure.

“It tells that he is consistent and has game awareness. It tells how to adapt one’s game to different conditions, oppositions, and situations, and how to handle pressure. It’s been an amalgamation of all of that. He has been an absolute rockstar,” he observed.

The cricket analyst highlighted there was pressure on Virat Kohli as he had failed to trouble the scorers in the last two games.

“Even in this game, there was pressure as he was coming after scoring two consecutive zeroes. He said pressure is a privilege, and that it keeps you humble and grounded. He celebrated a little after scoring his first run, and then he went on to play a typical Virat Kohli knock,” he said.

RCB will next take on Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on Sunday.