1. 113 off 50 balls vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2016)
This was in a rain-curtailed 15-over match at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB needed big, fast runs. Kohli — who had nine stitches on his left hand going into the match — reached his century in just 47 balls and finished with 113 off 50, including 12 fours and 8 sixes. RCB scored 211/3 and won by 82 runs. This knock is widely regarded as one of the finest T20 innings ever played in India.
2. 113* off 50 balls vs Gujarat Lions (IPL 2016)
Kohli’s second century of IPL 2016 came against Gujarat Lions. Another match-winning hundred. In a season where he scored 973 runs — the highest ever by any batter in a single IPL season — every big knock felt like it was more than just a game. RCB kept winning, and Kohli kept delivering.
3. 82* off 49 vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2023 Opener)
Kohli began IPL 2023 with an unbeaten 82 against Mumbai Indians. After two underwhelming IPL seasons (2021 and 2022), this knock signalled he was fully back. He went on to score 639 runs in 2023 at an average of 53.25 — and broke Chris Gayle’s record for most IPL centuries (now 8 total). The 2023 opener was the match that turned the story of his comeback.
4. 92 off 47 vs Punjab Kings (IPL 2024)
In a must-win type game at Dharamsala, Kohli played a stunning 92 off 47 balls. RCB won by 60 runs. This innings took his MOTM tally past MS Dhoni (17) to 18 at the time. He went on to finish IPL 2024 with 741 runs at 61.75, earning his second Orange Cap.
5. The 2016 Season as a Whole
It’s fair to treat IPL 2016 as its own entry. In 16 innings, Kohli scored 973 runs at an average of 81.08 and a strike rate of 152.03 — with 4 centuries and 7 fifties. He won multiple MOTM awards that season, the Orange Cap, and the Most Valuable Player of the Season award. No one has touched that record in the 9 seasons since.