Virat Kohli scored his first IPL hundred which came against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot. (Source: PTI)
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli smashed his maiden T20 hundred in an IPL match against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot on Sunday but he said he was not feeling good as he ended at the losing side. (Fixtures | Squads)
Kohli hit 100 not out off 63 balls to guide RCB to 180 for 2 after electing to bat but the Lions chased down the target with three balls to spare to notch up a six-wicket victory.
Asked if he was feeling happy to notch up his maiden IPL as well as T20 hundred, Kohli said, “I am not really feeling good right now. Would have liked to cross the line on the right side of the result. Missed a coupled of hundreds before. Personal performances are good, but not having a win is difficult.
“Not at any stage was I thinking about a hundred. Just looking for 170. The opportunity came in the end,” said Kohli, who is yet to score a hundred in his 43 T20 Internationals, after the match.
READ: Gujarat Lions steal show despite Virat Kohli’s royal ton
Kohli gave an update on swashbuckling West Indian batsman Chris Gayle who has gone home to be by the side of his wife and their new-born daughter.
“(Gayle) should be back in the next game. Batting is not a concern. We are planning a lot of things (with the ball),” said Kohli who was adjudged man of the match for his 100 not out.
“We want to pull our socks up. Even today, it was slow pitch, we shouldn’t have given so many balls close to the batsman that he could hit. Should have kept it away from his reach,” he added.
Earlier at the innings break, Kohli said he was not expecting himself to hit a hundred.
READ: Virat Kohli hits maiden T20 hundred against Gujarat Lions at Rajkot
“Just wanted to hit good areas. Even against Delhi, I was 75 at the time I was out. Coach Daniel Vettori told me hundred was there. Run out on 99 once. Never really thought about it today though. Just concentrated on hitting the gap,” he said.
Talking about a minor ankle sprain he sustained during the RCB innings, he said, “Sort of slipped going for a second, sprained in my ankle. But that was where fitness counts, the other muscles took over.
“I thought 155, the wicket was slow, breaking off, you’ll see it will be much difficult batting in the second innings. I have to sprint out now.”
Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina praised his batsmen for the win.
“Good win, when Virat got a hundred I thought it was going away from us. But Baz (Brendon McCullum) and Dwayne Smith got us off to a great start. We did not lose focus, we had good partnerships in the chase,” said Raina.
“Smithy has been batting really well up the order with CSK, he had a really good PSL. Not sure about Finchy’s (Aaron Finch) fitness.”
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