Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Shreyanka Patil praises Virat Kohli After His Masterclass 53rd ton in the 2nd ODI vs South Africa.
In an emphatic showcase of batting prowess, Virat Kohli marked his 53rd ODI century with a stylish 102 off 93 balls in the 2nd ODI against South Africa at Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. The match, part of a tightly contested three-match series led by South Africa’s skipper Temba Bavuma, saw India, led by stand-in skipper KL Rahul, pile up a formidable total of 358/5 despite losing their 20th consecutive toss in the format.
Alongside Kohli’s elegant century, which included 7 boundaries and 2 sixes, Ruturaj Gaikwad shone brightly with his maiden ODI century, scoring 105 off 83 balls, featuring 12 boundaries and 2 maximums. KL Rahul (66* off 43 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (24* off 27 balls) further bolstered the innings in a dominant display.
Among the many admirers of Kohli’s brilliant innings was young 23-year-old off-spin all-rounder Shreyanka Patil, who took to her personal Instagram story to celebrate her idol with a heartfelt message: “Keep flying King !!” accompanied by a red-heart emoji. Patil’s admiration for Kohli transcends typical fanfare. She has been one of the promising talents in Indian women’s cricket, recently retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for ₹60 lakhs as their 4th retention ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction.
Shreyanka Patil’s IG story on her role model Virat Kohli ❤️#CricketTwitter #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/6lkyj9VJIh
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 3, 2025
The upcoming 4th edition of the Women’s Premier League, set to run from 9th January to 5th February 2026, will see Patil looking to make a strong impact for RCB, a franchise that clinched their maiden WPL title last year under the leadership of Smriti Mandhana, who also captains the side currently.
Patil’s journey back to top-level cricket has been defined by resilience. After a series of injuries kept her sidelined, she made a comeback in September 2025 during the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, representing Barbados Royals. Her last international outing for India was during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in October 2024, where she unfortunately fractured a finger against Australia. Now fit and motivated, Patil’s Instagram tribute to Kohli reflects her inspiration and ambition, highlighting the bond across genders in Indian cricket. Shreyanka was also seen with Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma at the Tirumala temple.
Despite India’s imposing total, South Africa managed a spirited chase, reaching 359/6 to draw the series level at 1-1 with 4 wickets remaining and four balls to spare. India had won the 1st ODI by 17 runs, setting the tone for a thrilling ODI series.
As the WPL 2026 and India’s international fixtures build momentum, Shreyanka Patil’s tribute to Kohli captures the spirit of cricket’s evolving generation, one that respects legends while forging their own paths in the sport, both on and off the field. The Royal Challengers’ all-rounder’s journey and her heartfelt nod to Kohli underline the interconnected fabric of Indian cricket’s present and future stars.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.