Virat Kohli Shines in IPL 2025 Opener with Milestone Achievements

Kohli's Stellar Performance at Eden Gardens

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 23: Virat Kohli, a key player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, showcased his exceptional skills during the opening match of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Saturday.

The enthusiastic crowd at the renowned Eden Gardens was left in awe as the 'Chase Master' delivered a remarkable performance against the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chasing a target of 175 runs set by KKR, Kohli reached a significant milestone by taking a single on the second last ball of the 10th over, marking his 1000 runs against the Knights.

With this achievement, he becomes only the third player in IPL history to reach this landmark, now holding over 1000 runs against four different franchises, the highest by any player in the league's history.

Kohli has now surpassed the 1000-run mark against Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and KKR. Rohit Sharma and David Warner are the closest competitors, each having achieved this feat against two franchises.

Warner has amassed over 1000 runs against KKR and PBKS, while Rohit has done so against KKR and DC.

In this opening match, Kohli also became the third Indian player to reach 400 T20 matches, following Rohit Sharma (448) and Dinesh Karthik (412) for the most appearances by an Indian in T20 cricket.

Opening the innings with Phil Salt, Kohli set a solid foundation for RCB's successful chase. While Salt aggressively scored runs, Kohli played a more measured innings, contributing significantly with a variety of shots. He remained unbeaten at 59, leading RCB to a convincing 7-wicket victory on KKR's home ground.