Virat Kohli is to make his debut in 2026 on Sunday, January 11, as the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara, will host the first match of the India-New Zealand ODI series. This then is not just India’s first game of the year, it could turn out to be another instance of Kohli breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record.
The ex-skipper of the Indian team is just 94 runs short of becoming the Indian batsman with the highest runs against New Zealand in ODIs. He has, till date, scored 1657 runs in 33 innings at a brilliant average of 55.23 having hit six centuries and nine fifties in his career so far. Considering his present form, it will not be a surprise if he adds another huge record to his career.
In case of Sachin Tendulkar, the numbers show 1750 runs in 41 innings at an average of 46.05 and 5 centuries and 8 half-centuries to his credit. Virender Sehwag is qualifying as the next player with a record of 1157 runs in just 23 innings vs New Zealand and the average of 52.59 along with six tons and three fifties.
Indians with most runs vs New Zealand in ODIs
Sachin Tendulkar: 1750 runs
Virat Kohli: 1657 runs
Virender Sehwag: 1157 runs
Mohammad Azharuddin: 1118 runs
Sourav Ganguly: 1079 runs
Kohli eyes multiple milestones in first ODIs
Kohli, apart from the record that he would easily bag, will be looking to achieve a few more in his already magnificent ODI career. He needs just 25 runs more to complete an incredible 28000 runs in the entire international cricket whereas he is only 42 runs shy of going past Kumar Sangakkara on the chart and being the second highest scorer at the global level across formats.
So far, he has scored 27975 runs in 556 matches in all formats combined with an impressive average of 52.58, including 84 centuries and 145 fifties as part of his record.
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