Runs, runs and more runs…
Earlier in August, Virat Kohli scored his 42nd ODI century in the second game against West Indies to power his side to a victory. Along the way, he went past Sourav Ganguly’s tally of 11363 ODI runs to become the eighth highest run-getter in ODIs.
This means that Kohli is now the second highest Indian run-getter in ODI cricket with only Sachin Tendulkar, who heads this list, the only Indian with more ODI runs.
A quick look at the top three Indian run scorers in ODI cricket…
1) Sachin Tendulkar
18426 runs
463 matches between 1989-2012
Highest score: 200 not out
Average: 44.83
Strike rate: 86.23
100s: 49
50s: 96
2) Virat Kohli
11520 runs
239 matches from 2008 up until now
Highest score: 183
Average: 60.31
Strike rate: 93.21
100s: 43
50s: 54
3) Sourav Ganguly
11363 runs
311 matches between 1992-2007
Highest score: 183
Average: 41.02
Strike rate: 73.70
100s: 22
50s: 72
Following 11 innings, including the entire 2019 ODI Cricket World Cup, without an ODI century, Kohli scored 120 from 125 balls in the second match against West Indies to give his side a total that proved too much for the home side to chase down. During this knock, which included 14 fours and a six, Kohli went past Sourav Ganguly’s ODI run tally.
Kohli’s 42nd century also saw him complete 2000 ODI runs against West Indies, the first ever to do it. He took just 34 innings to reach the mark, the least by any batsman against a single opposition. Rohit Sharma previously held the record – 37 innings against Australia.
Kohli’s 43rd ODI century came in the very next game as he scored an unbeaten 114 off 99 deliveries to help India chase down a target in a rain-curtailed game and win the series 2-0.
Out of his 43 ODI centuries, Kohli has scored nine of them against West Indies. Sachin Tendulkar is the only other person to have scored nine centuries against a single opposition (Australia) in ODI cricket.
Photos: AP, The Hindu, REUTERS
Statistics up until third ODI between West Indies and India played at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on August 14, 2019.