Star India and former RCB captain Virat Kohli have been in red form in the ongoing IPL 2026 and have played a key role in powering the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to the playoffs with his batting brilliance. With RCB scheduled to face Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in Dharamsala, all eyes will be on Kohli again for his batting masterclass.
Both RCB and GT finished the league stage with eighteen points, and they are currently in first and second place, respectively. The team that manages to win Qualifier 1 will directly book their final spot and wait for their opponent after Qualifier 2. In the middle of knockout matches, Virat Kohli can script history in the Indian Premier League.
Virat Kohli needs 43 runs to break massive record
The 37-year-old is on the verge of breaking a massive record for scoring 600-plus runs in the most consecutive IPL seasons. Virat Kohli currently shares the record for the most consecutive IPL seasons with 600-plus runs, having crossed the milestone in three straight editions – 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Kohli shares the spot with power-hitters Chris Gayle, David Warner, and KL Rahul – all of whom have scored over 600 runs in three consecutive seasons. Chris Gayle achieved this massive feat in three consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2013, David Warner achieved this feat across the 2016, 2017, and 2019 seasons, whereas KL Rahul scored 600-plus runs in three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022.
Virat Kohli’s IPL 2026 stats
Coming to Virat Kohli’s IPL 2026 stats, he has played a total of 14 matches and has scored a total of 557 runs, which features four half-centuries and century, which came against the Kolkata Knight Riders. He reached his ton off 60 balls, and this century marked his 9th IPL ton. If Kohli manages to score 43 runs against GT in the Qualifier 1, he will become the first batsman in IPL history to score 600 or more runs in four consecutive seasons.
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Virat Kohli, showcased his power-hitting prowess this season as he played at a strike rate of 163.82, and provided the team with strong starts in several matches. Kohli who has been criticized for his strike rate every now and then has smashed a total of 21 sixes so far in this season, while he also pushed his overall career tally past the 300-six milestone in the tournament’s history.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals became the fourth team to seal a playoff spot. The Riyan Parag-led side will face Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in Mullanpur on May 27.
Also Read: Top 5 Highest Individual Scores In IPL Playoff Matches
