Virat Kohli climbs to No.3 in the Orange Cap race (Image: X) Virat Kohli took a huge leap in the IPL 2026 Orange Cap race after his sensational century against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday night. Heading into the clash, Kohli had slipped to 10th in the batting order after registering back-to-back ducks. However, the RCB superstar responded in trademark fashion with a stunning unbeaten 105 off 60 deliveries to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a successful chase of 193 in Raipur and propel the side to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. The century also helped Kohli climb from 10th to 3rd in the Orange Cap rankings, putting him firmly back in contention among the tournament’s top scorers.
IPL 2026 Orange Cap Standings
PositionPlayerTeamMatchesRunsStrike RateAverage1Heinrich KlaasenSunrisers Hyderabad12501153.9350.802Sai SudharsanGujarat Titans12501155.1041.753Virat KohliRoyalRoyal355hek.88 SharmaSunrisers Hyderabad12481209.1343.735KL RahulDelhi Capitals12477177.9843.36
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Krunal Pandya opens the match winning game and RCB’s playoff runKohli’s unbeaten 105 again came in his favorite scenario, the run. Chasing a daunting target of 193, the RCB opener anchored the innings superbly while maintaining an aggressive intent throughout and eventually finished the match with five balls to spare.The innings also turned into another historic night for Kohli. During the knock, he became the fastest batsman in cricket history to complete 14,000 T20 runs, reaching the milestone in just 409 innings. It was also Kohli’s ninth IPL century, further extending his record for most hundreds in the tournament’s history and cementing his status as one of the greatest T20 batsmen of all time.Despite the flurry of milestones, Kohli remained calm and down to earth while talking about the achievements after the match.“Well, I just love batting, even after all that. That’s my basic feeling,” Kohli said. “What an honor to still be playing at this level and competing against the best in the world. Cricket is something I really love. Every time I step on the field I give my heart and soul because one day it will all end and I want to make the most of every moment,” Kohli said during the post-match presentation.He further added that pressure situations continue to motivate him rather than intimidate him.“I enjoy fighting in difficult situations. I look forward to the moments when there is pressure and heat because that’s when you test yourself and say go for it,” added Kohli.
