Overview:
Virat became the No.1 batter in the ICC ODI Rankings on January 14. He dethroned his teammate Rohit Sharma from the No.1 position and returned to the top for the first time in four years.
Virat Kohli has once again entered the record books, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar to become the highest run-getter for the Indian National Cricket Team against New Zealand in ODIs. The milestone was scripted during the second ODI between India and New Zealand on 14 January 2026. Kohli was level with Tendulkar’s long-standing landmark and went past the former player with a four on the first delivery he played. He became the most prolific Indian willow holder against the Kiwis in the fifty-over format.
While Kohli is leading the list amongst the Indian cricketers, he is still behind the Australian great Ricky Ponting in the overall scheme of things.
Most runs against New Zealand in ODIs
1. Ricky Ponting (Australia): 51 Matches, 1,971 Runs, 45.83 Average
2. Virat Kohli (India): 35 Matches, 1,751+ Runs, 56.40 Average
3. Sachin Tendulkar (India): 42 Matches, 1,750 Runs, 46.05 Average
4. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): 47 Matches, 1,519 Runs, 33.75 Average
Kohli has been breaking records in every match. During the first ODI on 11 January, he became the fastest batter to amass 28,000 runs in international cricket.
Virat reached the milestone in 624 innings, while Sachin took 644 innings. In the same contest, the 37-year-old overtook former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara (28,016) to become the second-highest run-getter in international cricket, trailing Master Blaster.
Virat became the No.1 batter in the ICC ODI Rankings on January 14. He dethroned his teammate Rohit Sharma from the No.1 position and returned to the top for the first time in four years. It is the 11th time Kohli has topped the rankings in the fifty-over format, which shows his longevity. The veteran batter has hit five consecutive fifty-plus scores in one-day international, laced with two hundreds and three half-centuries.