Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli is eager to perform exceptionally. With the bat in the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. In the first ODI to be played in Ranchi, Kohli will have a golden opportunity to etch his name in the record books multiple times. This series could prove to be immensely significant for Kohli personally, as he stands on the cusp of achieving several historic milestones.
Chasing Sachin's Century Record
Virat Kohli currently stands level with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar with 51 centuries in ODI cricket, while while Sachin Tendulkar achieved his record 51 centuries in Test cricket, Virat Kohli has matched this figure in the One Day International format. If Kohli manages to score one more century in this ODI series against South Africa, he will surpass Sachin Tendulkar to hold the record for the most centuries in ODI cricket. This achievement would solidify his position as one of the most successful batsmen in the history of ODI cricket.
Fastest to 28,000 International Runs
Virat Kohli is also very close to completing 28,000 runs in international cricket. He needs just 337 runs to reach this historic milestone, while so far, only two batsmen in the world have scored more than 28,000 runs: Sachin Tendulkar (34357) from India and Kumar Sangakkara (28016) from Sri Lanka. While it might be challenging to reach this magical figure in a single series, Kohli is clearly on track to join the elite list of Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. If he achieves this feat, he could become the fastest batsman to reach this milestone, a testament to his consistency and fitness.
Dominant Record Against South Africa
Virat Kohli's statistics against South Africa have always been remarkable. To date, he has scored 1504 runs in 29 innings across 31 ODI matches against South Africa, maintaining an impressive average of 65. 39. These figures highlight his excellent performance against this team. By scoring just 32 more runs in this series, he will surpass the legendary Jacques Kallis (1535) to become the second-highest run-scorer in IND vs SA ODI cricket. This accomplishment would establish him as one of the most successful Indian batsmen against South Africa.
Most Runs in IND vs SA ODIs
Currently, in the list of most runs scored in IND vs SA ODI cricket, Sachin Tendulkar leads with 2001 runs. He's followed by Jacques Kallis with 1535 runs. Virat Kohli is in third place with 1504 runs, while Gary Kirsten is fourth with 1377 runs. Kohli has a golden opportunity in this series to overtake Jacques Kallis and move into second place, further enhancing his stature in this rivalry.
Eyeing Rahul Dravid's Half-Century Record
Virat Kohli can also equal Rahul Dravid's record for the most half-centuries in IND vs SA ODI cricket. Rahul Dravid scored 14 ODI half-centuries against South Africa, while Virat Kohli has achieved this feat 13 times so far. With just one more half-century, he will surpass Gary Kirsten and draw level with Rahul Dravid. This demonstrates that Kohli isn't only adept at scoring big centuries but also capable of consistently playing half-century innings to put the team in a strong position. This series could indeed become a platform for him to achieve numerous personal accolades.
