3 min readUpdated: May 14, 2026 01:48 AM IST
Virat Kohli has spent nearly two decades living with expectations every time he walks out to bat. Hundreds, records and milestones have followed him for so long that they almost feel routine now. But after steering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur on Wednesday night, the 37-year-old sounded less like a superstar celebrating another century and more like a cricketer still deeply attached to the game itself.
“What an honour to be competing at this level and against the very best still,” Kohli said after his unbeaten 105 off 60 balls earned him the Player of the Match award.
“Just give my heart and soul out there because it is going to finish one day. Want to make the most of it, and look forward to pressure situations.”
The innings meant more because Kohli had walked into the game after back-to-back ducks. For most players, a couple of failures may not attract much attention. For Kohli, they become a talking point immediately. And he admitted they had stayed on his mind.
“The fact I did not score runs, it eats me up because I have been playing well. It bothers you because that has been the goal – to be the best version,” Kohli added.
RCB were chasing 193, and Kohli approached the innings with patience early on. He rotated strike, waited for loose deliveries and gradually settled into rhythm before accelerating through the second half of the chase. His hundred came off 58 balls in the 19th over.
Even after reaching three figures, the celebration was restrained. There was only a brief raise of the bat before he turned his attention back to finishing the game.
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“The celebration was not a big one because we know the importance of the points. Century or no century, the more important thing is to finish the game,” Kohli said.
He also admitted he had felt nervous after the two ducks, but felt those moments were important because they forced players to reset and improve.
“There is a reason people say pressure is a privilege – it keeps you humble. Good pressure always helps you improve your game. A couple of games that do not go your way, you feel a bit of nervousness, and that helps you,” the right-hander said.
What pleased him most, though, was not the hundred itself but the control in his batting. Kohli said he had consciously avoided trying anything extravagant and instead trusted the basics that have defined his batting for years.
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“Just my positions at the crease, not doing anything extravagant and backing my game. Picking length, hitting the gaps I can hit. Happy I was able to back my game,” Kohli said.
Even now, at 37, Kohli said the biggest motivation remains simple. “Even after all these years, it is the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. That joy is still there,” he said.
RCB next take on Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Sunday
