Virat Kohli’s love affair with run chases in one-day internationals continues to grow stronger. The former India captain once again delivered under pressure with a sublime knock of 93 against New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara on Sunday, steering India close to the target in a demanding 300-plus chase.
With this innings, Kohli took his tally to 1,091 runs in successful ODI chases of 300 or more, averaging an extraordinary 121.22 with a strike rate of 125.25. His record in such matches includes seven centuries and two fifties, numbers that underline his unmatched dominance while batting second.
Kohli’s Chasing Numbers Speak for Themselves
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Kohli’s 93 in Vadodara also marked his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs, making him the only batter in history to achieve this feat five times in the format. His remarkable run of consistency began with a fifty against Australia in October last year and continued with two centuries and a half-century against South Africa in December.
India eventually sealed the match by four wickets, though the chase briefly lost momentum after Kohli’s dismissal. Calm finishing from KL Rahul, who stayed unbeaten on 29 off 21 balls, along with a steady partnership with Washington Sundar, ensured India crossed the line in the second-last over, reaching 301 in a tense finish.
More Milestones Fall for Kohli and India
The win marked India’s 20th successful 300-plus run chase in ODIs, the most by any team in the format. England is second on the list with 15 such victories, followed by Australia with 14. The Vadodara ODI also proved special on a personal level for Kohli, as he became the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs across formats. He is now the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history, behind only Sachin Tendulkar.
Time and again, Kohli has shown that chasing is his strongest suit, a stage where pressure sharpens his focus and extraordinary records continue to tumble.