The Chase Master has done it again. Virat Kohli carved his name deeper into IPL folklore on Friday night, becoming the first batter in the tournament's 19-year existence to amass 4000 runs while batting second. The milestone arrived at his fortress — M. Chinnaswamy Stadium — as the 37-year-old dismantled the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling attack with an unbeaten 69 off just 38 deliveries, laced with five fours and five sixes, to steer RCB past a stiff 202-run target in the IPL 2026 season opener.
Kohli needed just 30 runs on the night to breach the barrier, and he got there in typical fashion — unhurried yet devastating. His chasing tally now sits at 4027 runs, a number that may remain untouched for years. No active or retired player comes close. RCB, defending their maiden 2025 title, could not have scripted a better start to their campaign, with Kohli anchoring the run chase like only he can against an Ishan Kishan-led SRH outfit.
The records did not stop at the chasing milestone. During the same knock, Kohli overtook Pakistan's Shoaib Malik (13,571 runs) to become the highest run-scorer among Asian batters in all T20 cricket. His overall IPL tally swelled to 8,706 runs — putting the magical 9,000-run mark firmly within reach this season. At 37, most batters are winding down. Kohli is busy rewriting the record books.
RCB's bowling unit deserves a mention too, with debutant Jacob Duffy ripping through SRH's top order on a night that belonged to Bengaluru. But make no mistake — this was Kohli's evening. The Chinnaswamy crowd knew it. The opposition knew it. And the record books will confirm it for generations.
