Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Score 13,000 ODI Runs at No. 3, Reaching the Milestone Against New Zealand

Virat Kohli has become the first batter to score 13,000 ODI runs at number three. He reached the milestone in the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland on Wednesday, November 4. He made 74 off 51 balls as India won by 5 wickets.

Number three has been Kohli's home for most of his ODI career. No other batter has scored this many runs in the position. The record is another sign of how long he has held that spot for India.

The innings itself was classic Kohli. India were chasing a DLS target of 143 in 32 overs after rain. They lost Rohit Sharma for a duck in the first over. Kohli walked in and settled things. He and captain Shubman Gill added 113 runs for the second wicket. Gill scored 37 off 56. Kohli did the heavy lifting at the other end.

He hit 13 fours and a six. He used the extra-cover and square-leg regions well. He moved up a gear after the first rain break and kept the scoreboard moving. His strike rate for the knock was 145.10.

He fell to Jacob Duffy in the 20th over. He top-edged a short ball and was caught by Tim Seifert. By then the hard work was done. India needed fewer than 30 more, and they got there in 22.4 overs.

He also set another mark in the same game. Kohli now has 8,741 runs in ODI run chases. That is the most by any batter, and it moves him past Sachin Tendulkar's 8,720. Kohli averages 66.21 in chases at a strike rate of 95.03. Tendulkar averaged 42.33 at 88.44.

Short balls did not trouble him either. Kohli faced 25 balls of back-of-a-length or shorter and scored 43 runs off them. That is a strike rate of 172. He hit seven fours and a six off those deliveries. The rest of the batters scored 6 for 91 off 138 balls in the match.

Kohli was sharp in the field as well, and took two catches. India now lead the five-match series 1-0. The second ODI is on Saturday, November 7, at Sky Stadium in Wellington.