Virat Kohli continues to nail down his legacy as one of the legends of the game with yet another record breaking feat on Sunday. Batting in the IND vs NZ 1st ODI, Kohli etched his name in history in the first ever men's game at Kotambi Stadium. The 37-year-old became the 3rd to score 28,000 international runs, and was the fastest to the mark.
He needed 25 runs on Sunday to reach the 28k-run mark. Kohli who has not put a foot wrong in 50-over format in the last few matches, did so with relative ease. He also went past Kumar Sangakkara's tally of 28,016 to become the second leading run scorer in international cricket. For most international runs, Sachin Tendulkar still leads the charts with Kohli now at second.
Before the IND vs NZ ODI series opener, Kohli had scored 27,975 runs across 556 matches and 623 innings, maintaining a remarkable average of 52.58, with 84 centuries and 145 half-centuries. Making his 309th ODI appearance for India, Kohli smashed New Zealand’s Adithya Ashok for a boundary off the fifth delivery of the 13th over, and with that, went past the 28000-run mark in international cricket. He also overtook Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of the sport.
During the mid-innings break, the Baroda Cricket Association honoured Kohli and Rohit Sharma with a special tribute. What made this tribute memorable was not just the gesture itself, but its unique presentation. The organisers revealed a cupboard near the boundary line, decorated with life-size images of the two cricketers. As their names were called, the doors of the cupboard opened, and the players stepped out, eliciting laughter from the crowd and smiles from the honorees. Kohli and Rohit appeared equally amused, sharing a laugh and acknowledging the tribute.
