3 records Virat Kohli has already achieved in ODIs that Sachin Tendulkar couldn't

In a career spanning almost a quarter of a century, Sachin Tendulkar enthralled and bewitched the cricketing world. Hailed as the most complete batsman of all time, the Master Blaster holds just about all the major big-ticket records in the game. His records include the most hundreds, most fifties, most runs and the most man of the match awards.

Tendulkar took ODI cricket to statistically new peaks, unmatched in the history of the game. With the retirement of the great man, Virat Kohli has carried the legacy of the master forward.

The batting run machine has been plundering runs against every opposition in all conditions. Kohli has redefined the meaning of consistency and has emerged as the undisputed king of ODI cricket.

In this article, let us look at three records that Virat Kohli has already achieved in ODI cricket that Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t.

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#3 500 runs in a single bilateral ODI series

Kohli amassed 558 runs to lead India to a historic ODI series victory in South Africa

Kohli is the only Indian batsman to score 500 runs or more in a bilateral series in ODI cricket. During India’s tour of South Africa in 2018, the Indian captain scored an unprecedented 558 runs, including three centuries at a staggering average of 186.00. His phenomenal consistency propelled India to a historic ODI series victory in South Africa.

On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar was not able to reach the 400-run mark in any bilateral ODI series in his illustrious career. The highest that he could manage to score in a bilateral ODI series was 374 runs against England when India visited their shores in 2007. He scored 3 fifties in that series at an average of 53.43.

#2 Three consecutive centuries in ODIs

Virat Kohli scored three consecutive centuries in the series against West Indies at home in 2018

Kohli is the only Indian batsman to score three consecutive hundreds in ODI cricket. In the 2018 West Indies tour of India, the right-hander registered scores of 140, 157* and 107 during the first 3 ODIs of the 5-match series.

On the other hand, Tendulkar could not quite score three consecutive hundreds in ODI cricket despite featuring in 463 matches.

In the 1997-98 Coca Cola Triangular tournament, Tendulkar scored 2 consecutive hundreds against Australia. The 143 which he hit in that series, famously referred to as the Desert Storm knock, is regarded as one of the greatest innings ever played in ODI cricket. He followed it up with a sensational 134 to guide India to the title.

#1 Three centuries each in two bilateral ODI series

Virat Kohli has hammered three centuries in an ODI series on two occasions

Kohli is the only Indian batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score 3 centuries in a bilateral ODI series on two separate occasions. During India's 2018 tour of South Africa, he registered scores of 112, 160* and 129* in the ODI series.

In 2018 when West Indies toured India for a 5-match ODI series, Kohli smashed three centuries in the first three matches to end the series with 453 runs at an ethereal average of 151.

On the other hand, Tendulkar could not quite score three centuries in the same ODI series even once in his stellar career.