Kohli Breaks Records in Triumphant Return

Virat Kohli, who retired from international Twenty20 cricket in 2024 and has largely refrained from participating in leagues outside the Indian Premier League (IPL), made a highly anticipated return to the format yesterday. This marked his first T20 appearance since the IPL final in June of last year.

Despite the long hiatus, Kohli’s batting prowess remains undiminished. Facing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of the season, he played a scintillating innings of 69 not out off just 38 deliveries. His knock, his 64th fifty in the IPL, helped Royal Challengers Bangalore successfully chase down Hyderabad’s target of 202 with 26 balls to spare.

Addressing the challenges of returning to competitive T20 cricket after such a prolonged break, Kohli said,

“Over the past 15 years, the schedule we’ve followed and the cricket I’ve played means that the risk is never lack of preparation, but rather fatigue. These breaks have been immensely beneficial—they keep me fresh and excited. Whenever I return to the game, I come back at 120 per cent. There is no gap in my preparation.”

Yesterday’s match was historic for multiple reasons. Kohli became the first player to feature in every IPL season from 2008 to the present, marking his 19th consecutive tournament. In addition, he achieved another significant milestone in the very same match by surpassing 4,000 runs in IPL run chases—a feat no other player had accomplished. His total franchise T20 runs now stand at 8,730, the highest in the tournament’s history.

Kohli, who has also retired from Test and T20 internationals, remains active in One-Day Internationals. In January, he played three ODIs against New Zealand, scoring 93, 23, and 124 runs, making him India’s top run-scorer for the series. Prior to that, in December, he amassed 302 runs, including two centuries, against South Africa. Overall, he played 13 ODIs last year, demonstrating that he remains very much in form.

The praise for Kohli’s batting extends beyond statistics. Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Rajat Patidar remarked,

“Virat Kohli is our number one chase master. The way he selects his shots and reads the game is a joy to watch from the dugout. He’s clearly in top rhythm. What I see in the nets—the same determination, power, and hunger to perform—is very much alive.”

Virat Kohli: Key T20 Records

Kohli’s return demonstrates that, despite his partial retirement from shorter formats, his skill, consistency, and hunger for runs remain unmatched. Fans and cricket analysts alike will watch eagerly to see how many more records the Indian superstar can break in the seasons ahead.