In a monumental feat that further cements his legendary status, Virat Kohli has eclipsed the great Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest batter in history to amass 28,000 runs in international cricket. The modern-day maestro achieved this landmark during the first One Day International against New Zealand at the Reliance Stadium in Vadodara.
A Milestone Sealed with Authority
The historic moment arrived when Kohli, displaying his characteristic aggressive intent, dispatched a delivery from New Zealand spinner Adithya Ashok to the boundary. This shot took him past the coveted 28,000-run mark in his 624th innings since his international debut in 2008. In doing so, he bettered Sachin Tendulkar's previous record by a significant margin of 20 innings. Tendulkar had reached the same milestone in his 644th innings, while the third member of this elite club, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, got there in 666 innings.
Joining an Exclusive Pantheon of Greats
With this achievement, Virat Kohli has solidified his position among the absolute pinnacle of batting royalty. He is now only the third cricketer ever, after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara, to cross the 28,000-run threshold across all formats of international cricket—Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20Is. This places him in a rarefied air that underscores his consistency and longevity at the highest level of the sport.
Kohli's journey to this record has been a series of broken milestones involving Tendulkar. Earlier, in February 2023, he became the fastest to 25,000 runs, reaching there in 549 innings—28 innings quicker than the Master Blaster. He repeated the feat for 26,000 runs in October 2023, this time beating Tendulkar's pace by 13 innings. The charge continued as he raced to 27,000 runs in September 2024.
Current Form and The Road to the Record
Kohli's record-breaking spree comes on the back of a prolific period. He ended the 2025 calendar year in the 50-over format with a flourish, scoring back-to-back centuries against South Africa and capping off the series with an unbeaten half-century in the decider, which India won 2-1. To fine-tune his game, he even participated in the domestic Vijay Hazare Trophy, notching up a century and a fifty in his two appearances.
This remarkable streak of six consecutive fifty-plus scores in List A cricket began in Sydney, ironically right after a rare dip in form where he was dismissed for two consecutive ducks for the first time in his ODI career during the Australia tour. It showcased his incredible mental fortitude and ability to bounce back stronger.
The statistics speak volumes about Kohli's dominance. Among the all-time run-scorers, he now stands third, behind only Tendulkar (34,357 runs) and Sangakkara (28,016 runs). However, his average of 52.58 and strike rate of 79.45 highlight a blend of classical accumulation and modern aggression that sets him apart.
As the cricketing world celebrates another chapter in the Virat Kohli saga, this record is not just a number. It is a testament to over 17 years of relentless pursuit of excellence, fitness, and an insatiable hunger for runs that continues to inspire a generation. The chase for Sachin Tendulkar's all-time run record now seems not just possible, but a compelling inevitability in the chapters yet to be written.
