2025 was a wild ride for Virat Kohli. He finished as the third-highest run-getter in IPL 18, finally helping RCB lift their first-ever trophy.
In ODIs, he piled up more runs than any other Indian and grabbed the number two spot among batters in the ICC ODI Rankings. Oh, and he also became the second-highest ODI run-scorer of all time and broke the record for most hundreds in a single international format. Not bad for one year.
Now, as 2026 kicks off, Kohli’s got his eyes on even more records. Three big milestones are waiting for him—one in ODIs, another in international cricket overall, and the last in the IPL. Here’s what he’s chasing.
First up: Kohli sits at 27,975 international runs, just behind Sangakkara’s 28,016. He needs only 42 more to move into second place, right behind Sachin’s towering 34,357. Sachin’s number is probably out of reach, but second place is right there.
Then, there’s the 15,000-run mark in ODIs. Kohli’s got 14,557 right now—second only to Sachin, who’s way ahead at 18,426. Still, Kohli is about to become just the second player ever to reach 15,000 ODI runs. He needs 443 more, and with his form, that looks well within reach.
And in the IPL, Kohli’s already the top scorer with 8,661 runs. He’s third on the all-time appearances list, and no one’s played more games for a single franchise—he’s stuck with RCB since 2008. Come IPL 19, if he scores 339 more, he’ll be the first to hit 9,000 IPL runs. That’s a club with just one member.
Kohli turns 38 in 2026, and nobody really knows how much longer he’ll keep playing. The 2027 ODI World Cup is the next big thing on his radar, and time isn’t exactly on his side. Of course, he’ll want to shine in the IPL too. But honestly, whenever Kohli decides to walk away, his legacy is set. Nobody’s matching what he’s done.