Kohli Breaks Tendulkar’s Record, Becomes Fastest to 14,000 ODI Runs

Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as the greatest Indian batter of all time—perhaps even the greatest batter in cricket history. However, if there’s one player who can genuinely stake a claim to that throne, it’s Virat Kohli. The 36-year-old has built a legacy that stands among the very best, and just yesterday, he added yet another milestone to his glittering career by shattering a record previously held by none other than the Master Blaster himself.

Virat Kohli entered India's clash against Pakistan needing just 15 runs to reach 14,000 ODI runs – and he wasted no time getting there. He not only crossed the milestone but did so in style, anchoring India’s chase of 242 with an unbeaten century – his 51st in ODIs. Fittingly, he brought up both his hundred and the winning runs in one stroke, driving part-time spinner Khushdil Shah through the covers for a boundary. With this knock, Kohli etched his name into the history books, becoming only the third player ever to surpass 14,000 runs in ODIs. The other two? The legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who reached the mark in 350 innings, and Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara, who took 378 innings. However, Kohli smashed past that milestone in just 287 innings – an incredible 63 fewer than Tendulkar. 

The numbers get even more staggering when you dig deeper. Kohli is averaging over 57 in ODIs, far ahead of Tendulkar (44.19) and Sangakkara (41.73) at the same stage of their careers. He also became the fastest to 14,000 runs in terms of balls faced, taking just 14,984 deliveries. In comparison, Tendulkar needed 16,292 balls, and Sangakkara took 17,789. And while both Tendulkar and Sangakkara celebrated their milestones with centuries, theirs came in losing causes. Kohli? He made sure his ton came with a win.  

Reaching milestones isn’t anything new for Virat Kohli – especially in ODIs. In fact, since reaching 8,000 runs in June 2017 (in just 175 innings), he’s been the fastest to every 1,000-run milestone. Right now, Kohli stands as the third-highest run-scorer in ODI history, but that could change very soon. With 14,085 runs to his name, he’s on the verge of surpassing Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 14,234. Given his current form, he might even achieve that feat before the Champions Trophy wraps up. If he does, the only name left ahead of him will be the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. 

Of course, chasing down Tendulkar’s staggering 18,426-run record is a different challenge altogether. It’s a mountain of runs, but if there’s anyone who thrives on such daunting pursuits, it’s Kohli. Longevity will be key – if he can stretch his career out like Tendulkar did, there’s every chance he’ll set his sights on breaking the all-time ODI record. With Kohli, you can never say never.