Star India batter Virat Kohli completed 25,000 runs in international cricket on Sunday, becoming only the sixth batter to touch the landmark and the fastest player to do so.

Virat reached this landmark during the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in front of his home crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.

In the 12th over of India’s second innings in a chase of 115 runs, Kohli drove the first ball bowled by spinner Nathan Lyon for a boundary in the long-on region, exhibiting some great footwork.

In the first innings, he had played a composed knock of 44 runs in 84 balls.

Now, in 492 matches and 549 innings, he has scored 25,012 runs at an average of 53.55. Virat has scored 74 centuries and 129 half-centuries in international cricket, with the best score of 254. 

Virat has played 106 Tests so far, in which he has 8,195 runs at an average of 48.77 with 27 tons and 28 fifties. His best score in the format is 254.

In ODIs, Virat has smashed 12,809 in 271 matches at an average of 57.69. He has 46 tons and 64 half-centuries in the format with the best score of 183.

The batter has also scored 4,008 T20I runs at an average of 52.73. He has a century and 37 fifties in the format.

This makes him the fastest batter to have accomplished the landmark. He surpassed compatriot and legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who reached the 25,000-run mark in 577 innings.

He is currently the sixth-highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket.

The top-five runs in the history of the sport are India’s Sachin Tendulkar (34,357), Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara (28,016), Australian batting legend Ricky Ponting (27,483), SL’s Mahela Jayawardene (25,957) and South African all-round great Jacques Kallis (25,534).

He is also India’s second-highest run-scorer next to Tendulkar.

Source: The Siasat Daily

BDST: 1713 HRS, FEB 19, 2023
MN