Indian batting icon Virat Kohli reached another historic milestone as India defeated New Zealand in the first ODI, with his match-winning knock also rewriting the international run-scoring charts.
Virat Kohli surpassed former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history. The landmark came during India’s chase in the series opener.
Kohli began the match ranked third with 27,975 international runs. His innings of 93 runs lifted his tally to 28,068, moving him above Sangakkara, who now sits third with 28,016 runs.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a competitive total of 301 runs. India responded with a composed chase, reaching the target with one over to spare to seal a four-wicket victory.
Kohli was named Player of the Match after scoring 93 off 91 balls, an innings that included eight fours and one six.
Tendulkar still leads elite run-scorers list
Sachin Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in international cricket, with 34,357 runs across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
Behind Kohli and Sangakkara, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is fourth with 27,483 runs, while Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene completes the top five with 25,957 runs.
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Kohli’s ODI Man of the Match count has now risen to 45. He trails only Sanath Jayasuriya with 48 awards and Tendulkar, who leads the list with 62.
New counter-attacking approach at No 3
After the match, Kohli revealed he has adjusted his approach to attack early in his innings, particularly when batting at number three.
“If the situation is tricky, I back myself to counterattack now rather than just playing the situation,” Kohli said, explaining that waiting too long can invite trouble.
Following the early dismissal of opener Rohit Sharma for 26 in the ninth over, Kohli refused to retreat into a defensive shell.
Instead, he stitched together a match-defining 118-run partnership with captain Shubman Gill, who scored 56. The controlled aggression pushed New Zealand’s bowlers onto the back foot.
Now active internationally only in the 50-over format, Kohli said he aims to maximise the first 20 deliveries he faces.
“There’s no point waiting around for too long,” he said. “You stick to your strengths, but you back yourself enough to put the opposition under pressure.”
Consistency in 17th international year
At 37, Kohli continues to reinvent himself. His innings against New Zealand marked his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs, underlining his consistency even in his 17th year of international cricket.
Kohli said his early aggression after Rohit’s wicket “ended up being the difference in the game.”
India and New Zealand will meet next in the second ODI of the three-match series, scheduled to be played in Indore on Sunday.
