Virat Kohli has named a rather unexpected choice when asked to pick his best ODI innings. The former India captain went with his unbeaten 43 against England in the 2013 Champions Trophy final, putting it ahead of several memorable knocks, including his record-breaking century against New Zealand in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Kohli made the choice in a video shared by Star Sports. The batting great, who turns 38 on Thursday, was asked to pick his favourite ODI innings from a list of some of his biggest performances. He chose it just a day after scoring a brilliant 74 off 51 balls against New Zealand in the first ODI.

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Kohli picks Champions Trophy final knock over iconic centuries

The selection process started with Kohli choosing his 35-run innings in the 2011 ODI World Cup final over his unbeaten 133 against Sri Lanka in Hobart in 2012. The latter came during India’s remarkable chase of 321 in just 36.4 overs.

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He also picked the 2011 World Cup final knock over his 85 against Australia in the 2023 World Cup opener in Chennai. India were in serious trouble at 2/3 while chasing 200, but Kohli and KL Rahul helped the team recover.

Kohli then chose his 35 from the World Cup final over his 122 against England in a high-pressure chase in 2017. India were struggling at 63/4 while chasing 351 when he played that innings.

His unbeaten 160 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2018 also missed out. Kohli had scored 160 off 159 balls in that match, with much of his run-scoring coming through singles and twos.

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Why Kohli chose his 43 against England in 2013

The final choice came down to his innings in the 2011 World Cup final and his performance in the 2013 Champions Trophy final. Kohli eventually went with the latter.

India were struggling at 66/5 in a rain-affected final that was reduced to 20 overs. Kohli scored an important 43 and added 47 runs with Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed a crucial 33. Their partnership helped India post a competitive total before the bowlers restricted England to 124/8, sealing a five-run victory.

Kohli’s 43-run knock also came ahead of several other memorable performances. These included his 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, his 138 against South Africa in Chennai in 2015 and his 107 against Pakistan in the 2015 ODI World Cup.

A look at Virat Kohli’s remarkable international career

Kohli has won almost every major trophy in international and franchise cricket. His collection includes the 2011 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, two Champions Trophy titles and two IPL trophies.

He also remains India’s most successful Test captain, having led the team in 68 matches and registered 40 victories.

In Test cricket, Kohli represented India in 123 matches, scoring 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85. His tally includes 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries, making him India’s fourth-highest run-scorer in the format.

His ODI numbers are even more impressive. Kohli has scored 15,183 runs in 318 matches at an average of 58.84. He has smashed 55 centuries and 80 half-centuries to his name. He is the second-highest run-scorer in the history of ODI cricket.

In T20 internationals, he finished with 4,188 runs in 125 innings at an average of 48.69. His tally includes one century and 38 half-centuries.

Across all three formats, Kohli has scored 28,601 international runs in 566 matches and 633 innings. He has registered 86 centuries and 149 half-centuries at an average of 52.86, with a highest score of 254 not out.


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