Virat Kohli Becomes India’s Top ODI Run-Scorer Against New Zealand

Rajkot, Jan 2026 : Indian batting icon Virat Kohli once again underlined his legendary status by scripting another milestone during the second One-Day International against New Zealand at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. With a single stroke, Kohli became India’s highest run-scorer in ODIs against the Black Caps, surpassing the long-standing record held by Sachin Tendulkar.

Kohli required just one run to overtake Tendulkar’s tally of 1,750 runs against New Zealand, and he did so in emphatic fashion. Facing his very first delivery of the innings, Kohli drove Kristian Clarke to the boundary, instantly rewriting the record books and drawing loud applause from the packed stadium.

In 35 ODI matches against New Zealand, Kohli has now scored 1,773 runs, highlighting his consistency and dominance against the opposition. His innings in the second ODI, however, ended on 23 runs, as he was dismissed in the 24th over while attempting to break a boundary drought that had stretched over seven overs. Despite the modest score, the knock carried significant historical importance.

Sachin Tendulkar, whose record Kohli surpassed, had scored 1,750 runs against New Zealand in 42 ODIs across his illustrious 24-year international career. Kohli’s achievement in fewer matches reflects his remarkable run-scoring efficiency in the format.

On the global stage, the record for the most ODI runs against New Zealand is currently held by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting amassed 1,971 runs in 50 innings across 51 matches between 1995 and 2011. Kohli now needs 198 more runs to eclipse Ponting’s tally and claim the top spot worldwide against the Black Caps.

Kohli has been in impressive form following a difficult tour of Australia, where he endured two ducks. He made a strong comeback in the opening ODI of the New Zealand series with a commanding 93-run innings, setting the tone for the series and reaffirming his class.

That innings also saw Kohli break two major international records. He overtook Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket. Kohli now has 28,068 international runs, moving past Sangakkara’s final tally of 28,016. The record for the most international runs remains with Sachin Tendulkar, who scored an unmatched 34,357 runs in 664 matches.

Additionally, Kohli became the fastest batter to complete 28,000 international runs, reaching the milestone in just 624 innings. He achieved this landmark 20 innings quicker than Tendulkar, further underlining his extraordinary consistency and longevity at the highest level.

With records continuing to tumble, Kohli’s hunger for runs shows no signs of slowing down, making him one of the most prolific batters the game has ever seen.

Team Maverick.