Birthday special: Virat Kohli – Top records held by the Indian legend
Cricket has witnessed a handful of generational talents over the years who have dominated the game like no other during their time. Viv Richards in the 70s and 80s, Sachin Tendulkar in the 90s and 00s, and Virat Kohli in the current era. There is hardly any list of batting records where Kohli doesn’t feature. While Kohli’s numbers are more than enough to guarantee him a place among the immortals of the game, Kohli’s relentlessness on the pitch takes him to another level altogether. On the occasion of his birthday, we list some of his remarkable feats in cricket.
Most runs and half-centuries in T20 World Cup history
Virat Kohli has regained his unprecedented batting form and has started breaking records left, right, and centre, once again. The batting maestro recently became the leading run-scorer in T20 World Cups by toppling former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene’s record in the competition. He has also registered the most half-centuries in the history of the competition.
Leading run scorer in T20Is and highest average
While Virat Kohli’s game is more suited to the longer format of the game, such is the brilliance of the man that he has conquered even the shortest format of the game. Kohli is not only the leading run-scorer in T20Is, but also holds the record for most half-centuries, along with the highest average in the most exciting format of the game.
Second most centuries in international cricket
When Sachin Tendulkar bid farewell to the game, it seemed highly unlikely that anyone could come anywhere near close to matching his record of 100 centuries in international cricket let alone toppling it. But Virat Kohli, for the most part of the last decade, threatened to topple India’s great’s record. Kohli has got 71 international centuries to his name, the joint second most along with Ricky Ponting, and with the kind of form he is in, one wouldn’t bet against him getting near that elusive record.
Most runs in successful run chases in T20Is
Virat Kohli has been labelled the ‘chase master’ as the ace batter is the leading run-scorer in successful run chases in the shortest format of the game. The record-breaking cricketer has scored 1621 runs in 36 successful T20I chases, with 16 half-centuries, including 11 unbeaten ones.
Fastest to 23000 international runs
Virat Kohli has amassed over 24000 runs in international cricket across all formats and is still around 10000 runs behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record. But the Indian stalwart is the fastest in terms of innings to 23000 runs.
Most centuries and the highest average in run chases
One of India’s greatest-ever batters, Virat Kohli is the sixth-highest run-getter in ODI cricket. But when it comes to chasing, no one comes close to the mercurial talent as 26 of his 43 centuries have come while batting second, nine more than any other batter. His 7306 runs while chasing a target have come at an astonishing average of 66.42, the highest by any batter while batting second.
