Virat Kohli turns 38: 5 records he broke, many once held by Sachin Tendulkar
Former India captain Virat Kohli turned 38 on Thursday, with his career continuing to be defined by remarkable consistency and a series of batting records.
The right-handed batter, who made his international debut in 2008, has established several milestones across formats, many of which once belonged to his childhood idol Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli famously surpassed Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries during the 2023 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai. His 117-run knock made him the first batter to register 50 hundreds in the format. He has since extended that tally to 55 centuries.
With another birthday marking nearly two decades in international cricket, here are five significant records Kohli has broken.
Most centuries in ODI cricket
Kohli became the leading century-maker in ODI cricket when he scored his 50th hundred against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final. Tendulkar had held the record with 49 centuries in 463 matches.
Kohli has continued to extend the record, taking his tally to 55 ODI hundreds by his 38th birthday. His 54th century came against New Zealand in Indore in January 2026, while his 55th hundred further strengthened his position at the top of the list.
Most runs in a single edition of the ODI World Cup
Tendulkar’s record of 673 runs in the 2003 ODI World Cup stood for two decades before Kohli surpassed it in 2023.
The former India captain finished the 2023 edition with 765 runs in 11 innings, becoming the highest run-scorer in a single World Cup tournament. His campaign included three centuries and six half-centuries.
Kohli also received the Player of the Tournament award for his performances, which helped India reach the final.
Fastest batter to reach 15,000 ODI runs
Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 15,000 runs in men’s ODI cricket during India’s first ODI against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September this year.
He reached the milestone in just 315 innings, becoming only the second batter after Tendulkar to cross the 15,000-run mark in the format.
Kohli had already held the record for being the fastest to reach several other milestones, including 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, 13,000 and 14,000 ODI runs.
Most runs in ODI run-chases
Kohli added another record against his name during India’s first ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on Wednesday.
His 74 off 51 deliveries took his aggregate in ODI run-chases to 8,741 runs, taking him past Tendulkar’s previous record of 8,720 runs.
Kohli achieved the milestone in 169 innings across 180 matches, while Tendulkar had accumulated his tally in 232 innings across 242 matches. Kohli’s record also includes 30 centuries and 46 half-centuries.
First batter to score 13,000 ODI runs at No. 3
Kohli created another milestone in the same Auckland ODI, becoming the first batter to score 13,000 runs while batting at No. 3 in men’s ODI cricket.
He reached the landmark with his 74-run innings against New Zealand. By doing so, Kohli further strengthened his standing as one of the most successful number-three batters in the history of the format.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, Kohli will have more opportunities to add to his collection of records as he continues his international career in the 50-over format.
