Ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand on Sunday, Virat Kohli is on the brink of achieving another historic milestone in international cricket. The Indian batting icon is just 25 runs away from becoming only the third player in the history of the game to score 28,000 runs across all international formats. At the same time, he requires 42 more runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket overall.
Kohli currently has 27,975 runs to his name from 556 matches and 623 innings. His numbers reflect remarkable consistency, as he averages 52.58 across formats. Over the years, the right-handed batter has accumulated 84 centuries and 145 half-centuries, underlining his longevity and dominance at the highest level. As India prepare for the opening ODI, all eyes will be on Kohli and whether he can reach the milestone in the series opener itself.
Comparing Legends Of International Cricket
Kumar Sangakkara, who currently sits second on the all-time international run charts, finished his career with 28,016 runs from 594 matches and 666 innings. The former Sri Lanka captain maintained an impressive average of 46.77 and scored 63 hundreds along with 153 half-centuries across formats. His achievements place him among the finest batters the game has seen.
At the very top of the list remains Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in international cricket history. The Indian legend amassed a staggering 34,357 runs in 664 matches and 782 innings. Tendulkar averaged 48.25 and set benchmarks that still stand tall, including 100 international centuries and 164 half-centuries. Kohli’s steady climb up this list highlights how close he is to matching the legacy of these iconic names.
Shubman Gill On The Value Of Experience
Ahead of the first ODI, India’s ODI captain Shubman Gill spoke about the importance of senior players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team. At the pre-match press conference, Gill praised Rohit as one of the greatest openers in ODI history and Kohli as one of the finest ODI batters the game has ever seen.
Gill explained how their presence benefits the entire team and the captain in particular. “Among the two players you have named, one is one of the greatest openers (Rohit) of all time in ODIs, and Virat bhai is one of the greatest ODI batsmen ever. So definitely, having these two people in your team makes your life a lot easier, and whenever you are in a challenging situation, you can go to them for input. Because they have often been in those situations, you can go to them to see how they think or what they would do. That piece of information is very valuable for any captain,” Gill said.
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