Virat Kohli eyes multiple historic milestones as India prepares for a high-profile five-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting November 4 in Auckland. The star batter aims to break several legendary records held by Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat Kohli’s Quest for Records in New Zealand
There will be plenty of records for ‘King’ Virat Kohli to chase as he takes on New Zealand in a high-profile five-match ODI series, with the first ODI at Auckland from November 4 onwards. Fans would hope to witness plenty of Virat in action, more centuries and stunning knocks in run chases when India take on the Kiwis from November 4 onwards at Auckland. Here are a few milestones/records Virat could reach during the series:
Key Milestones and Career Records
-Most List A centuries Both Virat and Sachin Tendulkar are currently level at 60 List A centuries, making him just one shy of becoming the batter with the most centuries in the List A format.
-50+ average across all SENA nations in ODIs When it comes to batting in SENA conditions, very few Indian batters have been as consistent as Virat. The 37-year-old has stamped his authority across overseas conditions, with an average of 50.03 in Australia, 51.48 in England and 76.38 in South Africa. In New Zealand, Virat has made 596 runs in 13 innings at an average of 49.66, with a century and four fifties in ODIs.
-Winning the ‘Player of the Series’ award across all SENA nations Virat has already secured ‘Player of the Series’ awards in Australia, England and South Africa throughout his 18-year career of unparalleled dominance on foreign soil. New Zealand remains the only SENA country where Virat has not won a POTS series award. Delivering a POTS award-winning series will make the batting superstar the first-ever Indian to have won a POTS award in international cricket across all SENA conditions.
-54 more runs for most runs in ODI run-chases Virat being an excellent chaser in international cricket, especially ODIs, is as obvious as the fact that ‘water is wet’. In 179 ODIs and 168 innings, Virat has made 8,667 runs at an average of 66.16, with 30 centuries and 45 fifties while chasing. However, he is still 54 runs short of overcoming Sachin’s all-time tally of 8,720 runs (in 242 matches with 17 centuries) for most runs in ODI run-chases.
-12 runs to 13,000 runs at number three Over the years, Virat has made the number three spot in ODIs his own to the point it would be hard to imagine an Indian line-up without him at that spot. He is just 12 runs away from becoming the first-ever cricketer to have scored 13,000 ODI runs at number three. In 253 ODIs and 250 innings batting at number three, Virat has made 12,988 runs at an average of 61.55, with 48 centuries and 69 fifties coming at the spot, with best score of 183.
-1 more fifty-plus score for most such scores against SENA countries Both Virat and Sachin are currently tied at 133 fifty-plus scores against SENA nations in international cricket and the ‘King’ needs just one more fifty-plus score to surpass the ‘God of Cricket’ in this statistic. Virat has 45 centuries and 88 fifties against SENA nations in 320 matches, while Sachin has 50 centuries and 83 fifties in 328 matches against SENA nations.
-2 more fifty-plus scores for most ODI fifty-plus scores in winning causes Virat is just two more fifty-plus scores away from owning most ODI fifty-plus scores in winning causes. He currently has 93 fifty-plus scores (45 centuries and 48 fifties) in 194 ODIs in winning causes, with Aussie icon Ricky Ponting being at the top with 94 such scores (25 centuries and 69 fifties) in 262 matches.
Virat has been in good form in ODIs this year. He has scored 552 runs in nine innings across nine matches, at an average of 69.00 and a strike rate of 117.94. His tally includes two centuries and three half-centuries, with a highest score of 139 not out. During the recent ODI series against the West Indies, Kohli scored 168 runs in three innings. His performance included a 139 not out off 88 balls in the first match while chasing a target of 296. The 37-year-old is the second-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket history, with 15,109 runs at an average of 58.78. He has scored 55 centuries and 79 half-centuries in the format, with a highest score of 183. (ANI)
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