Virat Kohli, the legendary Indian batter, is poised to make a grand return to the cricket field in the season opener of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday holds the potential for Kohli to etch his name in the history books.
Kohli’s last appearance on the international stage was in January 2024, during the third T20I match between India and Afghanistan. Since then, he has been on a break, missing the recently concluded Test series against England.
However, his return to the IPL has sparked excitement among fans and pundits alike. If Kohli scores just six runs against CSK, he will become the first Indian batter to reach the milestone of 12,000 runs in T20 cricket. Currently, he stands at 11,994 runs from 376 T20 matches.
Kohli is also on the cusp of becoming the first Indian batter to score 100 half-centuries in T20s. He currently has 99 fifties to his name, trailing only Chris Gayle (110) and David Warner (109) on the all-time list.
Furthermore, Kohli has the opportunity to become the second batter to score 1000 runs against CSK in the IPL. With 985 runs in 31 matches against the Chennai-based franchise, he needs just 15 more runs to achieve this remarkable feat.
Kohli’s return to the IPL is particularly significant given his status as the tournament’s all-time leading run-scorer. In 237 matches and 229 innings, he has amassed 7263 runs at an average of 37.24 and a strike rate of 130.02. His best score is 113, and he has scored seven centuries and 50 fifties in his IPL career.
Last season, Kohli was the fourth-highest run-getter in the IPL, scoring 639 runs at an average of 53.25 and a strike rate of 139.82. His best score was 101*, and he scored two centuries and six fifties. However, he was unable to lead RCB to the playoffs.
The 17th season of the IPL promises to be an exciting one, and Kohli’s return is sure to add to the spectacle. The Southern derby between CSK and RCB on Friday will be a fitting stage for the Indian batting maestro to make history.
