PALLAVI SHYAM
The North News
Chandigarh, February 24
Virat Kohli, India’s enduring batting talisman, has added another feather to his illustrious cap. The 36-year-old has crossed the 14,000-run mark in One Day Internationals, becoming only the third batter in history to do so, following in the footsteps of cricketing greats Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.
Kohli’s latest masterclass came in a high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter against Pakistan, where he orchestrated a composed, unbeaten 100 off 111 deliveries to steer India to a six-wicket victory in pursuit of a 242-run target. This innings marked his 51st ODI century—more than any player in the format’s history. The milestone came in his 298th match for India, a career spanning over a decade of dominance. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Kohli now has 50 ODI hundreds and 73 half-centuries to his name.
At the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup, Kohli further cemented his legacy by amassing a record 765 runs in a single edition, propelling India to the final with three centuries and six fifties along the way. He also surpassed Tendulkar’s long-standing record to become the first player to score 50 centuries in ODIs.
Kohli’s rise has been defined by a mix of technical precision and an obsessive commitment to fitness, traits that have made him the most consistent all-format run-scorer of his generation. As ESPN notes, his aggressive leadership reshaped Indian cricket, demanding excellence from his bowlers, particularly the fast-bowling unit, and leading India to their first-ever Test series win in Australia. He remains on course to retire as India’s most successful Test captain.
With centuries in and against every major cricketing nation, Kohli has rewritten the record books, breaking the barriers of run-scoring at an unprecedented pace. The chase master, the relentless competitor, and the modern great—Virat Kohli continues to redefine batting excellence in world cricket.
