In a historic moment for world cricket, Virat Kohli has rewritten the record books once again by becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in the process.
Kohli achieved this monumental milestone during India’s first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara, completing the feat in just 624 innings, bettering Tendulkar’s previous mark of 644 innings.
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This achievement highlights not just longevity but extraordinary consistency across formats in a career that has been defined by intense focus and remarkable run-scoring ability.
Here’s how the modern great reached the landmark quicker and what makes the achievement special.
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Virat Kohli surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s record
Virat Kohli’s latest milestone of reaching 28,000 international runs cements his status as one of the most prolific run-scorers in cricket history. By crossing the 28,000 mark in fewer innings than Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli has set a new standard for scoring pace at the elite level.
| Fastest to 28,000 runs |
|---|
| Virat Kohli: 624 innings |
| Sachin Tendulkar: 644 innings |
| Kumar Sangakkara: 666 innings |
In the same match where he reached this landmark, Kohli also overtook Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, trailing only Tendulkar’s all-time tally.
| All-Time top international run-scorers (All formats) |
|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar: 34,357 |
| Virat Kohli: 28,068 |
| Kumar Sangakkara: 28,016 |
His incredible strike rate and career average further underscore the efficiency with which he has amassed runs, often pacing scoring across formats with a remarkable balance of aggression and control.
Which of Sachin Tendulkar’s records Virat Kohli is yet to beat?
Despite Kohli’s remarkable achievements and tally of records broken, several of Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic records still stand out as targets that Kohli has not yet surpassed:
- Most international runs (all formats): Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with 34,357 runs across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is - a mark Kohli has not yet reached.
- Most Test runs: Tendulkar amassed 15,921 Test runs, a benchmark Kohli fell short of before retiring from Test cricket in 2025 with 9,230 Test runs.
- Most ODI runs: Tendulkar’s tally of 18,426 ODI runs remains untouched by Kohli, who continues to chase this total in limited overs.
- Total international appearances: Tendulkar’s longevity saw him play 782 international innings, a figure Kohli has not matched.
While Kohli has broken many of Tendulkar’s “fastest to milestone” records (such as for 25,000, 26,000, and 27,000 runs) by achieving them in fewer innings, he still has some of the highest cumulative volume records left to chase.
List of Virat Kohli records in international cricket
Virat Kohli’s career is studded with an array of impressive records across all formats of international cricket:
Run-scoring milestones
- Fastest to 28,000 international runs (624 innings).
- Second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history.
- Fastest to several previous run thresholds (25,000; 26,000; 27,000 runs).
Centuries and consistency
- 84 international centuries across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is (30 Tests, 53 ODIs, 1 T20I).
- Most ODI centuries in history, surpassing Tendulkar’s record.
Format-specific achievements
- One of the most successful chasers in ODI history, renowned as the “Chase Master.”
- Fourth-highest run-scorer for India in Test cricket with 9,230 runs at the time of his retirement in 2025.
Accolades
- Held the ICC No. 1 ranking in ODIs and T20Is; also reached No. 1 in Tests during his career.
- Only player to earn 900+ rating points across all three formats of the game.
Related links
- Chances of Kohli breaking Tendulkar's 100 centuries in internationals
- Can Kohli reclaim ODI No. 1 ranking from Rohit?
- How many runs has Kohli scored in India vs NZ ODIs?
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