Virat Kohli on the Verge of Historic Milestone Ahead of ODI Series Against South Africa
Ranchi: Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is poised to make history in the ODI series against South Africa, commencing November 30 in Ranchi. With a chance to surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most centuries in One Day Internationals, Kohli is also on track to become the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs in bilateral ODIs. Currently, he has accumulated 9,936 runs in this format, leaving him just 64 runs shy of the milestone.
Kohli, aged 37, already holds the record for the most runs in bilateral ODIs, having surpassed the legendary MS Dhoni, who has 7,669 runs. AB de Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara, and Sachin Tendulkar occupy the third, fourth, and fifth positions in the all-time rankings for bilateral ODIs, respectively.
A Critical Series for India
Under new management, the Indian team has faced challenges in bilateral cricket, suffering ODI series defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia, while managing only one victory against England at home. A recent 2-0 Test whitewash against South Africa has heightened scrutiny on the team, and another poor performance could prompt decisive action from the board and selectors regarding the team’s future direction. Despite strong performances in multi-nation tournaments, India’s inconsistency in bilateral series has become evident.
Adding to their challenges, regular captain Shubman Gill will miss the upcoming series due to a neck injury, but is expected to return for the T20 internationals against South Africa. Vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is also unavailable, having sustained an injury during the ODI series against Australia. Meanwhile, all-rounder Hardik Pandya is undergoing rehabilitation in Bengaluru for a left quadriceps injury sustained during the Asia Cup.
The ODI series will kick off tomorrow, followed by additional matches on December 3 and 6. After concluding the three ODIs, India will shift focus to a five-match T20I series against South Africa.
