As cricket maestro Virat Kohli steps back onto the field for the electrifying One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia, statisticians and fans alike are buzzing with anticipation. Everyone is gearing up for what promises to be a series filled with potential record-breaking performances from one of white-ball cricket’s most formidable batters.
Virat Kohli of India (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Kohli’s highly awaited comeback kicks off with the first ODI in Perth, marking his first appearance since India’s triumphant ICC Champions Trophy victory. During that tournament, he was in spectacular form, accumulating 218 runs over five matches, highlighted by a superb century against Pakistan and a crucial 84 runs against Australia in the semifinal clash.
Now at 36 years old, the veteran Indian batter finds himself on the cusp of etching his name deeper into the annals of cricketing history with several monumental achievements in both ODI and combined limited-overs formats.
Remarkably, Kohli needs just 54 more runs to ascend to the position of the second-highest ODI run-scorer of all time. His current impressive record boasts 14,181 runs from 302 ODIs (290 innings), maintaining an extraordinary average of 57.88, which includes 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries. Surpassing Kumar Sangakkara’s 14,234 runs in 404 matches would be a testament to his consistent brilliance.
In the broader spectrum of combined limited-overs cricket (ODIs and T20Is), Kohli is closing in on yet another significant milestone. He requires merely 68 runs to eclipse the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s career total of 18,436 runs. Currently, Kohli has amassed 18,369 runs, a remarkable tally derived from his 14,181 ODI runs and 4,188 T20I runs.
Furthermore, one more century would see Kohli clinch the record for the most centuries in a single format. He presently shares this illustrious record with Sachin Tendulkar, both having 51 centuries – Kohli in ODIs and Tendulkar in Tests. A single ton would grant him sole ownership of this incredible feat.
Adding to the anticipation, his next century would also be his 30th in overseas conditions, solidifying his status as the Asian batter with the highest number of centuries scored outside of Asia, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 29 overseas centuries.
Beyond individual accolades, this challenging Australian tour serves a dual purpose: it will also kickstart Kohli’s rigorous preparations for the prestigious 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.