5 international records which Virat Kohli can break

The 29-year-old is one of the best batsmen in the world right now. Since leading the India Under-19 team to the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup title, Virat Kohli has always been touted to achieve great things with the Indian national side. His technique and talents gave an indication of what the youngster was capable of then. However, through determination and hard work, the young angry teenager has transformed into one of the most enjoyable batsmen to watch in world cricket right now.

In addition to being the captain of the young side, Kohli had finished as the third highest run-getter of the Under-19 tournament. Fast forward a decade and he is captaining the national Test side and taken over the reins of the limited-overs captaincy as MS Dhoni bid adieu.

The 29-year-old has the ability to recognize his weaknesses and play each format making full of his strengths to put in a top quality performance each time he is at the crease. With his current form being nothing short of commendable, Kohli is well on his way to breaking and making records in international cricket over the remainder of his cricketing career if he can maintain the consistency with which he plays.

Here we take a look at five of the international records that Kohli can break:

(Stats updated ahead of Eng-Ind Test series)

#1 Most number of ODI centuries

Sachin Tendulkar's phenomenal record of 100 international centuries is a record that might last till the end of time. However, Sachin's record for most number of centuries in ODI is definitely one of the records that Virat Kohli can break.

In a career that spanned 23 years and 463 ODI matches, Sachin has 49 hundreds to his name, missing the 50-mark by one century. Although Kohli might not get to play 463 ODIs, the rate at which he is scoring centuries should do him good to become the first batsman to reach 50 ODI centuries.

Kohli has played 211 matches and scored 35 hundreds and 9779 runs at an average of 58.20, which is more than Sachin's average of 44.83. Kohli's 35 centuries is the highest for any current batsman, ahead of Hashim Amla. The advantage that Kohli has over the South African batsman is that Amla is 35, whereas Kohli is six years younger.

Another reason why Kohli can break the Little Master's record is his rate of scoring centuries. Sachin scored a century in 10 innings while Kohli scores one in just under 6 innings, giving him a definite shot at the record.

#2 Most successful Indian Test captain

Virat Kohli made a very good impression in his very first Test as the captain of the Indian cricket team for the first Test in India's tour Down Under in December 2014. Usually, players might have been felt fazed by the responsibility of being a Test captain which in turn might have hampered their personal performance.

However, that was not the case with Kohli as he scored centuries in both the innings of the Adelaide Test, earning numerous plaudits from people all over for his second innings knock of 141 that almost gave India a famous win.

Kohli's inspirational leadership and aggression could very well help India become a force to reckon with in the longest format of the game. With consistent Test players like Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara in the lineup Kohli could lead India to new heights in Test cricket as well as become India's most successful Test captain.

In 35 Test matches that Kohli has captained, India have won 21, drawn nine and lost only five. He won three at home against the then No. 1 side, South Africa and two other Test matches against Sri Lanka. The series win against Sri Lanka was India's first away win after four years and their first in Sri Lanka after 22 years. Then was the skipper as India beat WI away from home and finished the 13-game home season in 2016/17 with 10 wins, two draws, and a solitary loss.

With at least another eight more years to go in Kohli's career, Kohli will have played more Tests as captain than any other captain did. Dhoni with 27 wins from 60 Tests is India's most successful captain right now. Seeing how determined a player and captain Kohli is, we can all be sure that the 29-year-old will look to lead India to more successes than the former captains.

#3 Most hundreds against one team

Australia are a naturally aggressive side on the field as they are not afraid to let their feelings known to their opponents, verbally and not. Not many opponents have been able to respond to them in kind, especially on Australian soil. Also, not many opposition players find success easily against Australia.

But, during India's tour of Australia in December 2014-January 2015, India's new Test captain showed a fitting way to respond to the provocations from the Australian bowlers. Kohli made good use of his bat and smashed the bowlers all around the park in the four-match Test series against Australia to score 692 runs.

Kohli has scored 11 hundreds against Australia in 54 international matches, scoring nearly 3,000 runs. With a high percentage of his international centuries coming against Australia, this might be another record he can claim.

Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the record for most number of international hundreds against any team, with 20 hundreds against Australia in 110 matches that he played against them. Don Bradman, with 19 centuries against England, is second in the list. With many more good years left in Kohli's career, it is only a matter of time before Kohli overtakes the batting legends to hold this special record.

#4 Highest career T20I runs

Virat Kohli's recent form in T20Is has been second to none. No batsman has a batting average even close to that of Kohli's. In T20Is in 2016, scored at a phenomenal average of 106.83.

Martin Guptill holds the world record with 2,271 runs from 75 matches and in second place is retired former Kiwi captain with 2140 runs in 71 matches.

In 62 T20Is, Kohli has 2102 runs to his name at an average of 48.88. No batsman who has scored more than 1000 T20I runs has an average of even 40. This is what makes Kohli the best contender to break Guptill's record and stay on top.

Also, Kohli holds the record for being the fastest to 1000 and 2000 T20I runs, while he also has 18 fifites in T20Is which is the highest, Rohit Sharma has 15. Kohli is already in fourth place on the list and it is only a matter of time before he climbs higher.

#5 Most player-of-the-match awards in internationals

Yet another record of Sachin Tendulkar that Virat Kohli will have his eyes on is the highest number of player-of-the-match awards in international cricket. More often than not, Sachin was the best player in India's matches, just like how Kohli is turning out to be in the modern era.

In 664 international matches, Sachin has won 76 player-of-the-match awards, 14 of those in Tests and 62 in ODIs. Sanath Jayasuriya is second in the list with 58 man-of-the-match awards in 586 matches.

Kohli, on the other hand, already has 45 player-of-the-match awards to his name in 339 matches. The 29-year-old has 7 awards in Tests, 28 in ODIs and 10 in T20Is and his consistency across all formats will hold him in good stead in his quest to be the ‘most successful’ player-of-the-match.