Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower has praised Venkatesh Iyer, while Dinesh Karthik hailed Virat Kohli after RCB's stellar win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026.
"Sometimes you don't even realise how special what he does is. " That was how Dinesh Karthik summed up another landmark outing from Virat Kohli, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru climbed to the top of the IPL points table with 16 points following their win over KKR.
Speaking after the game, Tim David praised Virat Kohli (100* off 60) for another composed innings under pressure, highlighting the physical and mental standards required to consistently deliver at the top level.
"It's just a joy for all of us to watch. The way he chased it down when we only needed the
two points. That was a great performance," said David. "It was hot out there, he was running around everywhere and still batting the through the innings. People don't appreciate how fit you have to be to finish the game off.
Kohli's latest innings saw him register his ninth IPL century, the most by any player in the history of the tournament. He also became the most capped player in IPL history with his 279th appearance, moving past MS Dhoni.
The innings added another milestone to Kohli's remarkable T20 career as he crossed 14,000 runs in the format, becoming the fastest player to achieve the feat in just 409 innings. He also crossed 400 runs in an IPL season for the 12th time and went past 6000 IPL runs as an opener.
Karthik reflected on Kohli's consistency and preparation, noting how his mindset continues to influence the group.
"We're all used to seeing it, sometimes you don't realise how special what he does actually is," Karthik said. "He had complete confidence in himself during the innings. The strokes he played were very self assuered and he knew exactly what he needed to do to get the team across the finish line. "
Karthik also pointed to the standards Kohli sets away from the spotlight.
"I wish people got more insight into how he speaks during the strategic timeout. He's so clear and confident about what he needs to do," he added.
The 92-run partnership between Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal once again proved important, with the pair bringing up their 11th 50-run stand together across IPL seasons.
Andy Flower also reserved special praise for players who have not featured regularly in the playing XI, highlighting their contribution around the group.
"The guys that haven't been playing have been sensational around the dugout," Flower said. "Venkatesh Iyer is a player who has represented India and the way he has conducted himself has been great role-modelling for some of the younger players. It shows a level of humility and generosity. "
