indian cricket icon Virat Kohli He added another historic chapter to his legendary career by becoming the fastest batsman to score 28,000 international runs India wins over New Zealand by four wickets in the first ODI At Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Sunday. The historic feat came in Kohli’s 624th international innings, when he hit a powerful four off the off side off spinner Aditya Ashok, prompting the packed crowd to celebrate loudly.
By doing so, Kohli left a long-standing benchmark behind Sachin TendulkarWho had reached this figure in 644 innings. This achievement left even Kohli behind Kumar SangakkaraWho has cemented his place among the greatest run-scorers of all time in the game.
Virat Kohli broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record with amazing efficiency.
Kohli’s journey to 28,000 runs is notable not only for its quantity but also for the speed and consistency with which it has been achieved. Reaching the milestone 20 innings sooner than Tendulkar, the former India skipper underlined how modern fitness, technique and adaptability have shaped his run-scoring machine.
Only three batsmen have crossed the 28,000-run mark in international cricket history – Tendulkar, Sangakkara and now Kohli. Sangakkara took 666 innings to reach the figure, while Ricky Ponting missed it by a narrow margin and finished his career with 27,483 runs. Kohli’s explosiveness across all formats highlights a rare blend of longevity and consistent excellence that sets him apart even among the greats.
Kohli: ‘The SeaHas Master’
The feat came during high-pressure run chases, a scenario where Kohli has been successful time and again. India were tasked with chasing New Zealand’s competitive target of 300 for 8 and Kohli led the innings with a brilliant 93 off 91 balls. His innings included eight fours and a six, as he balanced control with timely aggression against a formidable Black Caps bowling attack.
Important partnerships with Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer This ensured India crossed the boundary with an over to spare, giving the hosts a 1–0 lead in the ODI series. Kohli was later named Player of the Match, a recognition he dismissed with humour, and asked the officials to send the trophy to his mother in Gurgaon.
Format-wise details of Kohli’s international runs
Kohli’s 28,000 international runs are spread seamlessly across all three formats, underscoring his adaptability in an era of constant evolution. In Tests, he has scored 9,230 runs in 210 innings at an average of nearly 47, with 30 centuries, and has a reputation for performing well overseas under pressure.
ODI matches form the backbone of his runs, with 14,650 runs in 309 innings at an extraordinary average of 58.60. His record 53 ODI centuries and unmatched success in run chases define this phase of his career. In T20Is, Kohli scored 4,188 runs in 117 innings, combining powerplay aggression with unmatched consistency, even registering a century in the format.
Overall, his 28,000 runs at an average above 52 in 624 innings, along with 84 international centuries, make him the fastest of all major batting milestones.
Also read: IND vs NZ – Virat Kohli reveals where he keeps his Player of the Match award
Kohli’s recent pace sets him apart from his peers
What makes Kohli’s achievement even more remarkable is the speed at which he has achieved the recent milestone. He became the fastest player to score 25,000 international runs in just 549 innings and continued that rise by reaching 26,000 and 27,000 at record pace, the latter achieved in 594 innings against Bangladesh in 2024.
His Vadodara innings reflected the same hunger at the age of 37, as he leads India’s batting resurgence in white-ball cricket. With fitness levels rivaling players a decade younger than him, Kohli shows no signs of slowing down.
Also read: Top 3 cricketers with most Player of the Match awards in ODIs. Virat Kohli
