New Delhi, Jan 6: India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand is set to double up as a milestone watch for Virat Kohli, with the former captain closing in on a clutch of significant records across formats.
The series will be played in Vadodara on January 11, Rajkot on January 14 and Indore on January 18, and Kohli will walk in needing only modest returns to rewrite several statistical markers.Kohli is just 10 runs away from becoming India’s highest run-scorer in ODI victories against New Zealand. A slightly bigger landmark also beckons, with the 35-year-old needing only 25 runs to become the fastest batter in history to reach 28,000 international runs.
Against New Zealand specifically, Kohli requires 73 more runs to become only the second Asian batter to aggregate 3,000 international runs versus the Black Caps.
If he amasses 94 runs across the three matches, he will also overtake all Indian batters to become the leading run-scorer in ODIs against New Zealand. On the global stage, Kohli is closing in on the elite as well. He is just 42 runs short of becoming the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket.
A haul of 227 runs would see him become the highest run-scorer batting at No. 3 in ODI history, while 314 runs in the series would make him the most prolific run-getter against New Zealand in the ODI format overall.
Centuries, too, are in sight. One hundred in the series would take Kohli clear as the batter with the most international centuries against New Zealand.
At home, a tally of 350 runs would make him the highest run-scorer in ODIs played in India.
Another landmark underlines his reputation as a match-winner: Kohli is just 128 runs away from becoming the highest run-scorer in winning ODI matches.
As India begin their preparations for the New Zealand challenge, the series promises not only competitive cricket but also another chapter in Kohli’s enduring pursuit of excellence. As India fine-tune their combinations and build momentum ahead of a packed international calendar, the spotlight will inevitably follow Kohli, whose presence continues to define the team’s ambitions in the 50-over format. While the numbers and milestones offer an added layer of intrigue, the larger narrative remains about impact — of setting the tone at the top, anchoring the innings under pressure and guiding a relatively young batting group through crucial phases of the game. For Kohli, the New Zealand series is less about chasing records and more about reaffirming his relevance at the highest level, where consistency and intent matter as much as history. (Agencies)
