IPL 2023: Virat Kohli Gets Special Applause From Sachin Tendulkar After Century Against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Virat Kohli smashed a record-equalling 6th century in the Indian Premier League to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore to win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

RCB opener Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a century against Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo: IANS)

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar lauded Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli’s outstanding knock of 100 off 63 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match on Thursday. Sachin praised Virat in his recent Twitter post dedicated to RCB’s dominant win against SRH.

“It was evident that this would be Virat’s day from the very first ball when he played that cover drive. Virat and Faf both looked in total control, they not only played many big shots but also ran rather well between the wickets to build a successful partnership. 186 wasn’t a big enough total for the way they both batted,” Tendulkar tweeted.

It was evident that this would be Virat's day from the very first ball when he played that cover drive.

Virat and Faf both looked in total control, they not only played many big shots but also ran rather well between the wickets to build a successful partnership.

186 wasn't a_ pic.twitter.com/YpIFVroZfi

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 18, 2023

Kohli notched up his sixth hundred in the IPL and became the Indian batter with the most centuries under his belt. He scored 100 runs off 63 balls against SRH and added a record-opening partnership with Faf du Plessis of 172 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Many cricketers garnered praise for Kohli after he smashed his first century of this year’s IPL. Legends Like Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, AB de Villiers, Suresh Raina, and Tom Moody took their Twitter to applaud Kohli’s talent.

RCB with this win has reached to the top four in the points table. They have 14 points in 13 games and will play their last group-stage game with Gujarat Titans at their home ground M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.

We came up against Virat Kohli at his best: Brian Lara

Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Brian Lara admitted that his team came up against a ‘Virat Kohli at his best’ but found it hard to explain why they lost six out of the seven home games, which dashed their IPL 2023 play-offs chances. Already out of tournament, Sunrisers Hyderabad did post a decent total of 186, riding on Heinrich Klaasen’s brilliant hundred.

But Klaasen’s effort was overshadowed by former India skipper’s 63-ball-100 and his 172-run opening stand with skipper Faf du Plessis (71) as RCB won by eight wickets with four balls to spare. “Our guys played brilliant cricket but we came up against Virat Kohli at his best, and Faf, who has done a tremendous job for RCB throughout the season. He (Faf) is current Orange Cap holder right – So we came up against two world class players and overall I felt was a good effort from the boys,” Lara said after his team’s ninth defeat in 13 games as they languish at the bottom of 10-team table.

The legendary southpaw couldn’t put a finger on why SRH lost six home games which became their undoing. “It’s hard to sit here and explain in a broad sense why but just that we are going to get better, but this sort of record – one win in seven (home games) is something you don’t expect but it has happened,” Lara said.