Virat Kohli eyes rare 4-country ‘Player of the Match’ record

Spread the news

New Zealand award could complete Indian batter’s tally across all four SENA nations, including South Africa, England and Australia

Chandigarh: Virat Kohli will have an opportunity to achieve a rare distinction when India begin their five-match ODI series against New Zealand on November 4. A “Player of the Match” award in the series could complete his record of winning the honour in all four SENA countries, including South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia.

Reportedly, Kohli has already won ODI “Player of the Match” awards in South Africa, England and Australia. An award in New Zealand would make him the fourth Indian player to achieve the distinction, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and former India captain Kapil Dev, according to cricket records.

Kohli has won 45 “Player of the Match” awards in ODIs, according to the career statistics updated in January 2026. He also crossed 28,000 international runs, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone, and ranks second on the all-time international run-scoring list behind Tendulkar.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Kohli’s inclusion in India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand tour on October 16. The five-match series begins in Auckland on November 4, followed by matches in Wellington on November 7 and Hamilton on November 10. The final two ODIs will be played in Mount Maunganui on November 13 and 15.

The series will also form part of India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup, giving the team an opportunity to assess combinations and build towards the tournament.

For Kohli, the New Zealand tour presents five opportunities to add to his ODI achievements and complete the four-country “Player of the Match” distinction.