Run machine turns 30 - A recap to 30 'Virat' records of King Kohli

Records at a glance
Records at a glance

If a word could define Virat Kohli, it would be passion. There seems to be a different zeal in the way he goes about his business, and his courage seems to be infectious. Aggression, athleticism, temperament and mindset - these have been the key mantras to the success of Indian skipper Virat Kohli.

It is because of his inert strength, determination and steely nerves that Kohli has taken Indian cricket to new heights. Kohli has broken innumerable records, both, national as well as international in the process. While his national records include the ones such as the fastest ODI century and most double hundreds by an Indian captain, his global records have been something even better to celebrate.

Virat has redefined batting since 2016, and has been in a league of his own, dominating and stamping his authority in every game. He has been in a record breaking spree, tumbling the records of many legends in the process.

The ICC Cricketer of the Year has improved his game multiple fold after taking the leadership reins from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Kohli has scored runs throughout the world, and most recently conquering his long time nemesis England and James Anderson. Captaincy seems to have taken his game on another level, as he is most often seen leading from the front.

There are many cricketers who try to establish themselves in the side at 30. However, Virat is already a legend at this juncture, with still a lot of cricket left in him. Even after reaching unprecedented heights of success, Kohli refuses to take anything for granted, and discharges his national duty with utmost pride and vigilance.

As the Mr. Consistent of Cricket turns 30, without further ado, let us have a recap to 30 of King Kohli's 'Virat' records.

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#30 First captain to score 1000+ Test runs in 3 successive years

Virat is the only captain to have scored 1000+ Test runs in 3 consecutive years, achieving the feat against Windies in 2018. Virat has been in a league of his own in the longest format of the game since 2016, recording 1215, 1059, and 1063* runs in three consecutive years.


#29 Hundreds in 3 consecutive innings against two oppositions

Virat Kohli, who has set a new benchmark for consistency, became the first player to have scored 3 hundreds in consecutive innings against two different oppositions, as he brought up his third hundred on the trot in the opening games of the series against Windies. He had emulated the feat in 2017 against the Lankans, albeit in the longest format, as he had recorded scores of 104*, 213, 243 in three successive innings.


#28 Most ODI runs as captain in a calendar year

Virat was in stellar form throughout 2017 across formats. He was particularly impressive in ODIs, recording 1460 runs in 26 matches, at an average of 75 with 6 hundreds. In the process, he broke a decade old record of Ricky Ponting's, who had amassed 1424 runs in 27 matches back in 2007.


#27 Fastest captain to 1000, 2000 and 3000 ODI runs

Virat Kohli continued his record breaking spree even after assuming the reins of the Indian team, as he became the fastest to record the multiples of 1000 runs as an ODI captain, outshining his RCB teammate AB de Villiers on all three occasions. Kohli's 1000 runs came in 17 innings as against the 18 of ABD. While the Indian amassed 2000 runs in 36 innings in comparison to the 41 of de Villiers, Kohli brought up the 3000-run mark in just 49 innings, bettering the Protea by 11 innings.


#26 Most centuries as captain in a calendar year

Virat seems to relish the leadership duties, and captaincy has taken his game to another level. Kohli tumbled the record of the most hundreds by a captain in a calendar year, scoring 11 centuries in 2017, beating the record of 9 hundreds apiece held by Ricky Ponting and Graeme Smith.


#25 Fastest to 4000 Test runs as captain

Virat Kohli edged past veteran West Indian Brian Lara in 2018, as he became the fastest captain to 4000 Test runs. He achieved the milestone is his 65th innings, while Lara had managed to do it in his 71st innings.

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#24 Fastest to 30 and 35 ODI Tons

The Indian skipper has redefined limited overs batting and has set an example for the others to follow. He is the fastest to reach to 30 and 35 ODI tons, outdoing Sachin Tendulkar on both occasions. While Kohli brought up his 30th hundred in his 186th innings, as against the 267th of Sachin, he scored his 35th ton in 200 innings, in comparison to the 309 innings of Master Blaster.


#23 3 Double Centuries in consecutive years

Virat Kohli became the first batsman to score 3 double centuries in consecutive years, as he scored them over a span of 17 months in 2016 and 2017. Kohli scored double hundreds in consecutive series against West Indies, New Zealand and England in 2016, while he scored one against Bangladesh and two double tons in two consecutive games against Sri Lanka.


#22 Most runs in a domestic T20 season

Virat Kohli was on another planet in the Indian Premier League, 2016. His arrival on the ground was an agonising sight for the oppositions' bowlers. Playing for the franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, Virat accumulated a whopping 973 runs in his kitty, at an average of 81.08 with 4 thunderous hundreds and 7 fifties. This remains the world record for the most runs in a domestic T20 season.


#21 Most runs in T20Is while chasing

Virat edged past Brendon McCullum as the player with the most runs while chasing in T20Is in 2017. McCullum previously held the record with 1006 runs. Kohli has now amassed 1165 runs while chasing, establishing him at the apex.


#20 Fastest to 20 centuries as captain

Captaincy seems to have polished the game of Kohli. The Indian talisman has the record for being the fastest to 20 centuries as the skipper, achieving the landmark in just 93 innings, as against the 164 innings of Ricky Ponting.


#19 First captain to score 3 consecutive hundreds in ODIs

The Run Machine became the first captain to score 3 consecutive hundreds in as many ODI games, as he recorded a third ton in the recently concluded bilateral series against the Windies. He also became the first Indian player to achieve the landmark.

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#18 Centuries in all 350+ chases

If chasing is an art, then Virat Kohli is the Picasso of it. The Delhi batsman has gunned the most impracticable targets with extreme ease. India have chased down scores in excess of 350 on three occasions, twice against Australia, and once against England. Virat has scored a century in all of these games, remaining unbeaten on both the occasions versus the Aussies.


#17 Wicket on the 0th ball of T20Is

Virat Kohli, the batsman making records is not an uncommon feature in world cricket, but he also has a unique bowling record to his name. In a T20I against England in 2011, the 22-year Kohli was handed the ball for the first time by skipper MS Dhoni, in a bid to lure the batsmen. The ploy worked, as Virat bowled down the leg side and Kevin Pietersen charged down to attack, missing the length completely. MSD collected the wide delivery and dislodged the bails in a jiffy. The figures read, "Zero balls, Zero runs, 1 wicket", thus making it a unique feat for Kohli.


#16 Hundreds in the opening games of successive World Cups

Virat Kohli made his World Cup debut in 2011, against co-hosts Bangladesh in the opening game of the tournament. He became the first Indian to score a hundred on World Cup debut, as he scored an unbeaten 100 off 83 balls. 4 years later, India took on Pakistan in their opening game at The Adelaide Oval, Australia. Kohli breached the three-figure mark once again, as he scored 107 off 126 balls. Kohli not only became the first Indian to score a century against Pakistan in World Cup, but also the only player to have scored a hundred in the opening games of successive World Cups.


#15 Most runs in a bilateral series

The talismanic Indian batsman was on fire in the 6-match ODI series against the Proteas in February 2018. Kohli ripped apart the South African bowling attack at their own background, as he amassed 558 runs in 6 games, at a hair-raising average of 186, with 3 hundreds and 1 fifty. Kohli bettered the record of his team mate Rohit Sharma.


#14 Most runs in a calendar year in T20Is

Virat Kohli was on a totally another planet in the shortest format of the game in 2016. He conquered every bastion of T20 cricket in his capacity as a batsman. He made a record 641 runs at a jaw-dropping average of 106.83 and 7 fifties, making it the highest aggregate of runs in a calendar year in the shortest format.


#13 Fastest to 1000 ODI runs in a calendar year

The Run Machine continued his record breaking streak in the recent past, this time breaking the record that was jointly held by him along with Hashim Amla. Kohli amassed 1000 ODI runs in just 11 innings, thereby outdoing the previous record by a margin of 4 innings. He achieved the milestone en route his 37th ODI hundred against the Windies in 2018.

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#12 Joint-most Test series wins as captain

The Indian skipper joined Ricky Ponting on the list of most series wins as captain as he marshalled his troops to a series win against the Lankans at home in 2017. Ranging from a period since 2015, India won 9 consecutive Test series, defeating the likes of South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand. India also defeated Windies and Sri Lanka on their own turfs.


#11 Most half centuries in T20Is

T20 format has been one with contrast with the longer formats of the game, with unorthodox shots and pinch hitting being the norm. However, the Run Machine has redefined the shortest format of the game in his own style, such that he is called the 'Bradman of T20s'. Virat has the record of most half centuries in T20Is, having scored fifties 18 occasions, 3 more than the next best Rohit Sharma.


#10 Most double hundreds by a captain

The Indian skipper edged past West Indian legend Brian Lara on the list of most double hundreds as a captain, as he notched his sixth score in excess of 200, a career best 243 at his home ground in Delhi in December 2017 against Sri Lanka. With this knock, he also equalled the record for most double centuries by an Indian batsman. tying with Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.


#9 Fastest to 8000 international runs as captain

Kohli toppled another record in his record-breaking streak as he became the fastest to score 8000 international runs as captain. In the same innings when he crossed the 10,000 mark, the Indian skipper edged past former Aussie great Ricky Ponting, scoring 8000 runs in 113 matches and 137 innings, as against 166 matches and 187 innings of Ponting.


#8 Fastest to 2000 T20I runs

The 30-year old became the fourth batsman to enter the 2000 run club in T20Is, and became the fastest to do so. Kohli brought up his 2000 runs in just 56 innings, bettering the 66 innings record of former Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum. He achieved the milestone in July 2018 against England.


#7 Joint fastest to 50 international hundreds

Virat Kohli equalled the world record for being the fastest batsman to 50 international hundreds at Eden Gardens in 2017, as he scored a brisk 104* in the second innings against Sri Lanka. Kohli, along with Hashim Amla, reached the landmark in 348 innings across the formats.

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#6 Fastest to 15,000 international runs

Virat Kohli became the fastest player to score 15,000 international runs in the successful run chase against Sri Lanka in the one-off T20I in 2017. Kohli amassed the runs in 333 innings, eclipsing Hashim Amla, who achieved it in 336 innings. Kohli is the only player to achieve the landmark with a combined average in excess of 50.


#5 Only player who has had 50+ average in all formats

Virat Kohli is the only player in the history of cricket to have averaged over 50 in all the formats separately. Virat achieved the landmark post his double ton against England in Mumbai in 2016. Currently, he averages over 50 in Tests and ODIs, but his average has fallen slightly below in T20Is (48.88).


#4 Most hundreds while chasing in ODIs

Virat Kohli has been hailed as the Chase Master for his mindful calculations and steely nerves while gunning down even the biggest of targets. Unsurprisingly, he has the most number of hundreds while chasing. Out of his 38 ODI hundreds, a whopping 23 have come in the second innings. Moreover, India has failed to cross the line only on 3 of such occasions, thereby making another record of most number of hundreds in successful chases.


#3 Three Hundreds in first 3 innings as captain

Virat Kohli assumed the leadership duties in the longest format for the first time in 2014, in place of an injured MS Dhoni against Australia at Adelaide. Kohli led from the front in the game, as he scored twin hundreds in the match. Post Dhoni's Test retirement, Kohli captained the team in the fourth game at Sydney. He scored another hundred in the first innings, thus, becoming the first captain to record 3 hundreds in his first 3 innings as captain.


#2 4 Double Centuries in 4 Consecutive Test Series

Back in 2016, Virat Kohli's conversion rate in Tests was questioned, as he had not been able to breach the 200-figure mark. Like he always does, Kohli proved his critics wrong, notching his first double hundred against the West Indies at Antigua, becoming the first Indian skipper to score an overseas double ton. He continued it up with double hundreds in the three successive series against New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, becoming the first batsman ever to achieve the feat. He outdid the legendary Rahul Dravid and Sir Donald Bradman in the process.


#1 Fastest to 10,000 ODI Runs

Virat Kohli eclipsed batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, as he became the fastest to score 10,000 runs in ODIs against the Windies in 2018. Kohli, breached the 5-figure mark in a mere 205 innings, bettering Sachin's record of 259 innings by a big margin. Not only in terms of innings, he also became the fastest in terms of time taken post debut to reach the milestone. Kohli's record of 10 years 68 days allowed him to edge past the 10 years 317 days of Rahul Dravid. Even in terms of the balls faced (10,813), he is the fastest to the milestone.

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Edited by Sarah Waris