Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be among the players to watch when India take on New Zealand in the first ODI of the five-match series on Wednesday (November 4). While both experienced batters will be keen to make an impact with the bat, they also have several records within their reach.
Kohli, in particular, could achieve multiple milestones in the series opener. The former India captain has a chance to become the highest run-scorer in ODIs against New Zealand. He is also closing in on Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most runs in ODI chases.
Rohit, meanwhile, will be looking to add to his impressive six-hitting record against the Black Caps.
Virat Kohli Eyes Ricky Ponting’s Record Against New Zealand
Kohli is currently the second-highest run-scorer in ODIs against New Zealand. In 36 matches against the Black Caps, he has scored 1,897 runs.
The 37-year-old needs another 75 runs in the first ODI to move past former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who tops the list with 1,971 runs from 51 matches played between 1995 and 2011.
Sachin Tendulkar occupies third place on the list with 1,750 runs in 42 ODIs against New Zealand.
Most ODI Runs Against New Zealand
| PLAYER | COUNTRY | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 1995-2011 | 51 | 50 | 1971 | 141* | 6 | 12 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2010-2026 | 36 | 36 | 1897 | 154* | 7 | 10 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1990-2009 | 42 | 41 | 1750 | 186* | 5 | 8 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 2001-2015 | 47 | 45 | 1568 | 113* | 2 | 12 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 1991-2009 | 47 | 45 | 1519 | 140 | 5 | 8 |
Kohli Can Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Record In New Zealand
Kohli also has an opportunity to become India’s highest run-scorer in ODIs played in New Zealand.
He has scored 514 runs in 11 ODIs in the country and is currently third on the list. Another 139 runs in the series opener will take him past Tendulkar’s tally of 652 runs.
Tendulkar scored those runs in 18 matches against New Zealand on their home soil. Virender Sehwag is second on the list with 598 runs from 12 matches.
Kohli will also be looking to add to his impressive record in New Zealand, where he has already scored five ODI centuries and half-centuries combined.
Most ODI Runs For India Against New Zealand In New Zealand
| PLAYER | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | AVERAGE | STRIKE RATE | 100 | 50 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1990-2009 | 18 | 18 | 652 | 163* | 38.35 | 98.19 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Virender Sehwag | 2002-2009 | 12 | 12 | 598 | 125* | 54.36 | 103.1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Virat Kohli | 2014-2020 | 11 | 11 | 514 | 123 | 46.72 | 91.45 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| MS Dhoni | 2009-2019 | 13 | 11 | 505 | 84* | 72.14 | 96.92 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Rahul Dravid | 1999-2003 | 12 | 12 | 425 | 123* | 38.63 | 63.33 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | 2014-2022 | 12 | 12 | 372 | 75* | 33.81 | 77.01 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Rohit Sharma | 2009-2019 | 12 | 11 | 357 | 87 | 35.7 | 69.72 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 2020-2022 | 6 | 5 | 346 | 103 | 69.2 | 95.58 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Virat Kohli 47 Runs Away From Another Major Milestone
Another 47 runs in the opening ODI will help Kohli complete 1,000 international runs in New Zealand.
So far, only three Indian batters have crossed the 1,000-run mark in international cricket in the country. Tendulkar leads the list with 1,663 runs, followed by Rahul Dravid (1,191) and Mohammad Azharuddin (1,038).
Kohli currently has 953 runs from 21 international matches in New Zealand. Interestingly, MS Dhoni also has 953 runs to his name.
Most International Runs For India In New Zealand
| PLAYER | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | AVERAGE | 100 | 50 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1990-2009 | 33 | 40 | 1663 | 163* | 43.76 | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| Rahul Dravid | 1998-2009 | 19 | 26 | 1191 | 190 | 51.78 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Mohammad Azharuddin | 1990-1999 | 25 | 27 | 1038 | 192 | 41.52 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| MS Dhoni | 2009-2019 | 24 | 23 | 953 | 85* | 63.53 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Virat Kohli | 2014-2020 | 21 | 25 | 953 | 123 | 41.43 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
Kohli Closes In On Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI Chase Record
Kohli is also just 54 runs away from breaking another of Tendulkar’s long-standing records.
The Indian batting star has scored 8,667 runs in 168 ODI innings while chasing. He needs 54 more to go past Tendulkar, who finished his career with 8,720 runs in 232 second-innings appearances.
Kohli has played fewer innings but boasts a significantly better average. His average of 66.16 in ODI chases highlights his remarkable consistency when batting second.
Most Runs In ODI Run Chases
| PLAYER | COUNTRY | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | AVERAGE | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 1989-2012 | 236 | 232 | 8720 | 175 | 42.33 | 17 | 52 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 2008-2026 | 175 | 168 | 8667 | 183 | 66.16 | 30 | 45 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2007-2026 | 166 | 162 | 6801 | 152* | 51.13 | 19 | 40 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka, Asia | 1989-2011 | 214 | 210 | 5742 | 152 | 29.44 | 10 | 30 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa, ICC | 1996-2014 | 169 | 158 | 5575 | 139 | 44.95 | 5 | 45 |
Rohit Sharma Targets Shahid Afridi’s ODI Sixes Record
Kohli will not be the only Indian batter chasing records in the opening ODI. Rohit Sharma is also closing in on Shahid Afridi’s record for the most sixes in ODIs against New Zealand.
Afridi smashed 50 sixes in 38 ODIs against the Black Caps. Rohit is just one maximum behind him, having hit 49 sixes in 34 matches.
A single six in the series opener will take Rohit to the top of the list.
Chris Gayle is third with 45 sixes, while former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya has hit 41.
Most Sixes In ODIs Against New Zealand
| PLAYER | COUNTRY | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | SIXES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 1996-2015 | 38 | 35 | 1078 | 108* | 50 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2009-2026 | 34 | 32 | 1134 | 147 | 49 |
| Chris Gayle | West Indies | 2002-2019 | 30 | 28 | 1026 | 135 | 45 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 1991-2009 | 47 | 45 | 1519 | 140 | 41 |
| Jos Buttler | England | 2013-2025 | 28 | 25 | 832 | 129 | 29 |
Rohit Sharma Can Break Chris Gayle’s International Sixes Record
Rohit also has a chance to surpass Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in international cricket against New Zealand.
Gayle finished his international career with 87 sixes in 51 matches against the Kiwis. Rohit is currently second with 83 maximums in 60 matches.
The Indian opener needs five more sixes to move past the former West Indies batter and claim the record.
Most Sixes In International Cricket Against New Zealand
| PLAYER | COUNTRY | TIME SPAN | MATCHES | INNINGS | RUNS | BEST SCORE | SIXES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | West Indies | 2002-2019 | 51 | 57 | 2542 | 204 | 87 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 2009-2026 | 60 | 66 | 2160 | 147 | 83 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 1996-2016 | 54 | 50 | 1308 | 108* | 64 |
| Eoin Morgan | England/Ireland | 2007-2021 | 39 | 37 | 1117 | 113 | 53 |
| Fakhar Zaman | Pakistan | 2018-2026 | 38 | 36 | 1516 | 180* | 52 |
| Harry Brook | England | 2022-2026 | 24 | 30 | 1386 | 186 | 49 |
| Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 1997-2007 | 56 | 58 | 2171 | 162 | 49 |
There is another interesting milestone waiting for Rohit in the five-match series. If he hits 17 sixes across the series, he will become the first batter to smash 100 or more sixes against three different teams in international cricket.
He has already crossed the 100-six mark against Australia and the West Indies. New Zealand could become the third team against whom Rohit achieves the feat.