7 batsmen with more international runs than Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli - The run machine
Virat Kohli - The run machine

Indian captain Virat Kohli, who has been rested for the T20I series against Bangladesh, continued his excellent run in the three-match home Test series against South Africa which India won 3-0. While Rohit Sharma was the exceptional performer of the series with two hundreds and a double century, Kohli also made his presence felt with a career best 254 not out at Pune. Thanks to the captain’s knock, India went on to win the Test by an innings and 137 runs.

During the course of the series, the Indian skipper also overtook Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya to jump to eighth position in the list of batsmen with most international runs. Kohli now has 21,036 runs in international cricket with 69 hundreds and 98 fifties. Jayasuriya ended his illustrious career with 21,032 runs, including 42 hundreds and 103 half-centuries. While Jayasuriya got his runs in 586 matches, Kohli has played 393 so far.

In this feature, we take a look at seven batsmen who have more international runs than Kohli, most of whom the Indian captain is likely to overtake before he finishes his career.

#7 Brian Lara

Brian Lara
Brian Lara

The West Indian genius Brian Lara has 22,358 international runs to his credit. Lara notched up 53 hundreds and 111 fifties in his memorable career with a best of 400 not out, which remains the world record score in Test cricket.

The retired left-hander amassed 11,953 runs in 131 Tests with 34 hundreds and 48 fifties. In ODIs, the southpaw has 10,405 runs from 299 ODIs with 19 hundreds and 63 fifties.

#6 Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid makes it to the list on the back of a stupendous international career. Dravid amassed 24,208 international runs in his career with 48 hundreds, 146 fifties and a best of 270 in the Rawalpindi Test of 2004.

In 164 Tests, Dravid scored 13,288 runs with 36 hundreds and 63 fifties. In 344 ODIs, he totalled 10,889 runs with 12 centuries and 83 half-centuries. Dravid featured in a sole T20I game, in which he scored 31.

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#5 Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis

Unarguably the best all-rounder of the late 90s and 2000s, Jacques Kallis scored 25,534 runs in his international career with 62 hundreds and 149 fifties. His best of 224 came in the Cape Town Test against Sri Lanka in 2012.

Kallis made 13,289 runs in 166 Tests with 45 hundreds and 58 fifties. In 328 ODIs, he posted 11,579 runs featuring 17 hundreds and 86 half-centuries.

Kallis also managed 666 runs in 25 T20Is with five fifties. Apart from his batting feats, Kallis also has 577 wickets in international cricket to his name.

#4 Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene

Another former captain, the elegant Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene is at number four on the list. Jayawardene scored a total of 25,957 runs with 54 hundreds and 136 fifties. His career best of 374 came in the 2006 Test against South Africa.

Jayawardene featured in 149 Tests, scoring 11,814 runs with 34 hundreds and 50 fifties. Further, in 448 ODIs, he amassed 12,650 runs with 19 hundreds and 77 fifties.

Jayawardene also played 55 T20Is for 1,493 runs, with a best of 100.

#3 Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting

The Aussie legend Ricky Ponting has 27,483 runs to his credit in international cricket with 71 hundreds and 146 fifties. His best of 257 came in the Boxing Day Test against India in 2003.

Ponting featured in 168 Tests during which he managed 13,378 runs with 41 hundreds and 62 fifties. The champion batsman also played 375 ODIs and totaled 13,704 runs with 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries.

In a short T20I career, the former captain made 401 runs in 17 matches with a best of 98 not out.

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#2 Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara

Undoubtedly the most complete batsman to come out of the island nation, Kumar Sangakkara has the second highest runs in international cricket. The elegant left-hander amassed 28,016 runs with 63 hundreds and 153 fifties. His best of 319 came against Bangladesh in the Chattogram Test of 2014.

Across 134 Tests, Sangakkara scored 12,400 runs with 38 hundreds and 52 fifties. The ex-Lankan captain also played 404 ODIs for 14,234 runs with 25 hundreds and 93 fifties.

Sangakkara also featured in 56 T20Is and scored 1,382 runs with a best of 78.

#1 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar

Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar is right on top of the list of batsmen with most runs in international cricket. In a career spanning 24 years, Tendulkar accumulated a massive 34,357 runs with a record 100 hundreds and 164 fifties.

His best of 248 not out was scored against Bangladesh during the Dhaka Test in 2004.

Tendulkar finished his career with exactly 200 Tests, in which he amassed 15,921 runs with 51 hundreds and 68 fifties. The opener featured in 463 ODIs during which he totaled 18,426 runs with 49 hundreds, 96 fifties and a best of 200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010. He was the first batsman to hit an ODI double hundred.

Tendulkar featured in a solitary T20I in which he scored 10 runs.

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Edited by Musab Abid