Happy Birthday Virat Kohli: From Fastest 15,000 ODI Runs to Overtaking Sachin, Kohli’s 5 Biggest Records

Virat Kohli Turns 38: Former India captain and star batter Virat Kohli is celebrating his 38th birthday today. He was born on 5 November 1988 and is counted among the best batters in the world. After India’s T20 World Cup title win in the USA and West Indies in 2024, he retired from T20 internationals. He later said goodbye to Test cricket as well, and now wears the India jersey only in ODIs.

Fastest to 15,000 ODI Runs

Kohli holds the record for the fastest 15,000 runs in ODIs. He reached the milestone this year, becoming the second Indian batter after Sachin Tendulkar to do so. Kohli completed 15,000 ODI runs in 303 innings.

Most Centuries in ODIs

Kohli holds the record for the most ODI centuries. He has scored more than 15,000 runs in 317 matches and has 55 ODI centuries to his name. In doing so, he overtook Sachin Tendulkar, who has 49 ODI centuries. Kohli is the only batter in the world to score more than 50 centuries in the 50-over format.

Second-Highest Fifty-Maker in T20Is

Although he has retired from T20 internationals, Kohli is the second-highest scorer of fifties in the format. He has 38 half-centuries, while former Pakistan captain Babar Azam leads with 39.

Century in First World Cup Match

Kohli made his ODI World Cup debut in 2011. In that match against Bangladesh, he scored a century and became the first Indian to score a hundred in his first World Cup match. He also holds the record for the most ODI centuries against a single team, with 10 each against Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

Record as Captain

Kohli did not win an ICC trophy as captain, but he is among the players who have captained the most matches. He led India in a total of 213 matches across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Under his captaincy, India won Test series overseas and the team gained a new aggression.

More Than a Player, an Era

Kohli is seen as the face of modern Indian cricket. His fitness, passion and consistency have taken Indian cricket to new heights. Recently, in the first ODI against New Zealand, he also became the first batter in the world to complete 13,000 ODI runs at number three.

Note: The figures are based on an Amar Ujala report.