Many people consider Virat Kohli the Second God of Cricket, following in the footsteps of his idol Sachin Tendulkar, who is known as the God of Cricket. Kohli has proven to be the best batsman in world cricket over the last decade, surpassing other great players like Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Rohit Sharma.
India has produced many talented batters since Sunil Gavaskar. Tendulkar took over from Gavaskar, and Kohli succeeded Tendulkar. Interestingly, both Tendulkar and Kohli were part of the team that won India’s second ODI World Cup in 2011, after 28 years. This historic achievement has solidified their place in cricket history.
Virat Kohli’s Career Stats:
For good reason, Virat Kohli is referred to as the “Second God of Cricket.” Even though he hasn’t yet surpassed all of Sachin Tendulkar’s records, he is getting very close, particularly after his most recent successes. With a record-breaking 711 runs in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli eclipsed Tendulkar’s 2003 mark of 673 runs. This demonstrated Kohli’s supremacy in cricket as well as his extraordinary talent and tenacity.
How fast Kohli hit 10,000 ODI runs is only one of his amazing accomplishments. “The Run Machine” achieved this feat on October 24, 2018, in a game where he amassed an undefeated 157 runs. He completed the feat in just 205 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s 2001 record of 259 innings to achieve 10,000 runs in 54 innings. In just ten years and 67 days after making his ODI debut, Kohli has surpassed numerous other cricketing greats, like MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara, to reach this milestone.
These accomplishments demonstrate Kohli’s extraordinary talent and dedication to the game, which is why many people rank him as one of the all-time greats in cricket.
Fastest to complete 12,000 ODI runs in the shortest time:
Virat Kohli’s achievement of reaching 12,000 ODI runs has solidified his standing as one of cricket’s all-time greats. In Rajkot against Australia, he reached the 12,000-run milestone after an amazing feat of 10,000 runs. In the second game of the three-match ODI series, Kohli needed just 23 runs to reach this landmark in his 242nd inning– a mere 37 innings after hitting 10,000 runs. By accomplishing this feat, Kohli surpassed Tendulkar’s record of reaching 12,000 ODI runs in 300 innings (58 more than Kohli) and established himself as the fastest ever batsman in cricket history to achieve this milestone. This extraordinary achievement stands as further testimony to Kohli’s exceptional skill and unparalleled consistency on the cricket field.
Highest-ever Rated Indian batsman:
In addition to helping India win the 2017 ODI series against New Zealand, Virat Kohli’s outstanding performance elevated him to new heights in the cricketing world. With a rating of 889, Kohli regained the top spot in the ICC rankings, surpassing his IPL teammate AB de Villiers, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kohli’s outstanding efforts during the series included scores of 121, 29, and 113.
This accomplishment was momentous for Indian cricket as well as a personal high point for Kohli. With his 889 rating, he became the highest-scoring Indian batsman since 1998’s career-best 887 rating by the great Sachin Tendulkar. This incredible accomplishment cemented Kohli’s place among the greatest batsmen of all time.
The fastest Player to score 50 International Centuries:
Virat Kohli’s remarkable talent and unwavering drive have allowed him to become the fastest batsman to score 50 international hundreds. During a crucial 2017 Eden Gardens match against Sri Lanka, Kohli’s unbroken 104 not only put India ahead but also signaled his 50th century in all forms of the game.
In just 348 innings, Kohli reached this milestone, matching the record established by Hashim Amla of South Africa. With this incredible achievement, he surpassed cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, who needed 376 innings to accomplish the same accomplishment. Tendulkar retired having amassed 100 hundreds, but Kohli’s accomplishment at 35 is evidence of his extraordinary talent and endurance in the game.
Fastest to reach 40 ODI hundreds :
In his incredible journey in ODI cricket, Virat Kohli made history by becoming the second player ever to score 40 centuries. This big achievement happened on March 5, 2019, during a match against Australia in Nagpur, where he scored 116 runs. Kohli reached this milestone in just 216 innings, breaking the previous record held by Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar took 139 more innings to achieve the same feat. With this incredible accomplishment, Kohli not only secured his place among the ODI greats but also silenced any doubts about his status in the cricket world.
Only Batsman to Score 50 ODI Centuries:
Virat Kohli made history in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against Australia and New Zealand by becoming the first player to score 50 centuries in ODI cricket. This remarkable feat was achieved on November 15, 2023, at the Wankhede Stadium, where Kohli scored 117 runs in front of an excited crowd, including his idol Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli’s achievement is a testament to his exceptional talent and longevity in cricket. Unlike Tendulkar, Kohli doesn’t need to match his idol’s achievements game by game. Instead, Kohli has set himself apart with his high scoring rate, endurance, and consistency.
Several cricket legends, like Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting and Sanjay Manjrekar, have also applauded Kohli as one of the most exceptional players and stated that his success doesn’t surprise, but his failures do.
Also Read: How many double centuries has Virat Kohli scored in Test Format?
