Virat Kohli, a class apart: First T20 hundred, three fifties in five IPL matches

New Delhi: Prodigious Virat Kohli on Sunday finally scored a Twenty20 hundred as the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper lead his side to a formidable total of 180/2 against Gujarat Lions in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Rajkot.

The 27-year-old Indian test captain was at his majestic best against the Suresh Raina-led outfit. His unbeaten 100 off 63 balls was laced with 11 fours and a six, and he reached that elusive triple figure score with a delicate cut off the last ball of innings.

And it came on an auspicious day for cricket, on Sachin Tendulkar's birthday.

For the last few years, he has been the centre-point of cricket. But these last few weeks, the Delhi batsman has managed to set a new standard, which no doubt can be termed bradmanesque, in all aspects.

Here words fail to describe Kohli's progression, if at all that's what we meant to say. His last ten innings in T20s, including today's hundred is just beyond comparison.

23 vs New Zealand, 55* vs Pakistan, 24 vs Bangladesh, 82* vs Australia, 89* vs West Indies for the national team; then 75 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 79 vs Delhi Daredevils, 33 vs Mumbai Indians, 80 vs Rising Pune Supergiants for RCB.

He has, in fact, scored 992 runs in 17 T20 innings this year at an impressive average of 110.22.