Virat Kohli Rewrites History in Vadodara: Fastest to 28,000 International Runs
VADODARA – The record books of international cricket were rewritten once again on Sunday as Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli reached the monumental landmark of 28,000 international runs. Achieving the feat during the 1st ODI against New Zealand at the Kotambi Stadium, Kohli has surpassed legendary compatriot Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest player in history to reach the milestone.
The Race to 28,000: Kohli vs. Tendulkar
In a display of peerless consistency, Kohli reached the 28,000-run mark in just his 624th international innings. This remarkable achievement sees him eclipse Sachin Tendulkar’s previous world record of 644 innings by a significant margin of 20 innings.
The elite “28,000 Club” now features only three names in the history of the sport:
- Virat Kohli (India): 624 Innings
- Sachin Tendulkar (India): 644 Innings
- Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka): 666 Innings
A Historic Evening in Vadodara
Entering the series opener against the BlackCaps just 25 runs shy of the milestone, Kohli reached the mark with a signature boundary off New Zealand spinner Adithya Ashok in the 13th over of India’s chase.
The achievement was made even sweeter as Kohli also moved past Kumar Sangakkara (28,016 runs) to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket. He now trails only Tendulkar, who sits at the top of the all-time list with 34,357 runs.
Player of the Match Performance
While the record stole the headlines, Kohli’s contribution on the field was vital for Team India. Chasing a target of 301, Kohli anchored the innings with a masterful 93 off 91 balls, including eight boundaries and a six.
Although he narrowly missed out on his 54th ODI century, falling seven runs short, his performance earned him the Player of the Match award. His steadying presence allowed the likes of KL Rahul and Harshit Rana to eventually guide India to a thrilling four-wicket victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Legacy in the Making
At 37, Kohli continues to defy the biological clock, maintaining a career average of over 52. Having retired from T20Is and Tests to focus on the 50-over format, his current form suggests that more records are under threat. He is now rapidly closing in on becoming the second player in history to reach 15,000 ODI runs, needing fewer than 400 more to join Tendulkar in that exclusive bracket.
As India prepares for the 2nd ODI in Rajkot, the cricketing world remains in awe of a player who continues to turn “milestones into standard outcomes.”
