Virat Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket, and his 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) season was undoubtedly one of the finest displays of batting the cricketing world has ever seen.
Kohli, who was captaining Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) that season, not only broke numerous records but also led his team to the final of the tournament.
Kohli’s performances in the 2016 IPL season were remarkable by any measure. He scored a staggering 973 runs in just 16 innings, breaking the previous record of 733 runs set by Chris Gayle in 2012.
Incredibly, Kohli scored these runs at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03, hitting a total of four fifties and a massive four centuries.
Kohli’s first century of the season came against the Gujarat Lions on May 14, 2016. In that match, Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 runs off just 63 balls, including 11 fours and one six, to help RCB chase down a target of 181 runs with ease.
Kohli’s second century of the season was even more remarkable. This time, he scored an unbeaten 109 runs off just 55 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders on May 16, 2016. In that match, Kohli hit five fours and eight sixes, helping RCB to a total of 248 runs, which remains the highest team total in IPL history.
Kohli’s third century of the season came in the first qualifier match against the Gujarat Lions on May 24, 2016. In that match, Kohli scored an unbeaten 109 runs off just 55 balls yet again, hitting eight fours and seven sixes in the process.
As a result, RCB posted a mammoth total of 248 runs, which proved to be too much for the Lions, who were bowled out for just 104 runs.
Finally, Kohli’s fourth century of the season came in the last league match of the season against the Kings XI Punjab on May 18, 2016. In that match, Kohli hit a magnificent 113 runs off just 50 balls, hitting 12 fours and eight sixes in total.
This was an extraordinary innings even by Kohli’s standards, and it helped RCB post a total of 211 runs. Kohli’s performances in the 2016 IPL season were not only remarkable in terms of the number of runs he scored but also in the manner in which he scored those runs.
Kohli’s batting was characterized by his ability to hit the ball to all parts of the ground, and his range of shots was truly impressive.
Virat Kohli’s 2016 IPL season was a tour de force of batting brilliance. His incredible performances not only broke numerous records but also inspired RCB to the final of the tournament. Kohli’s four centuries and his 973 runs will go down in history as one of the greatest individual performances in IPL history.