Stats that make Kohli the greatest one-day batter
Virat Kohli is now the only player in one-day international cricket to hold a distinct record.
On Wednesday's World Cup semi-final, the Indian superstar made a century against New Zealand, marking his 50th century in the same format of the game, which put him ahead of the great Sachin Tendulkar.
BBC Sport examines the data that establishes Kohli as the top-performing player in 50-over cricket.
In one of his last One Day International matches, Tendulkar achieved his 49th century after playing 451 innings.
Kohli has reached the same number of accomplishments as the Little Master in 277 attempts, and has now surpassed it in 279 turns.
He has achieved this feat with a higher percentage of successful strikes - 93.62 runs for every 100 balls faced, as opposed to Tendulkar's 86.23. Furthermore, he has enjoyed a better average due to his position in the batting lineup - occupying the middle order, rather than being the primary ODI opener like Tendulkar.
Kohli's average in this format is 58.69 - the highest of all players who have played 50 or more matches.
After scoring 117 against New Zealand, while his partner Anushka Sharma and Tendulkar were in the stands at the Wankhede Stadium, Kohli commented that it all seemed unreal.
If I were able to create the ideal image, what I would wish for it to depict is this.
The one I cherish the most, my significant other, is seated nearby. My role model Sachin is also in attendance. I managed to score my 50th point in front of them and these supporters, in a place with great significance. It was an incredible experience.
Kohli still believes that Tendulkar is the best, even to this day.
Kohli mentioned that there is a valid justification for everybody admiring him, as he expressed last week. I can never match his level of expertise, according to Kohli. When it comes to batting, he embodies perfection.
Although he hasn't quite reached Tendulkar's impressive overall ODI run total of 18,426, Kohli has surpassed Ricky Ponting and now holds third place. Kohli has also amassed a remarkable 13,784 runs, with only Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara having more than him at 18,426 and 14,234 respectively.
Kohli: A Master Of Chasing Targets
Everyone is aware of Kohli's skill as an amazing batter when it comes to chasing runs. The numbers are incredibly impressive.
When it comes to chasing a target in ODIs, this player typically scores an average of 65.49 runs. This is an impressive feat, as no other player in history has managed to surpass this score by more than seven runs.
Kohli is always the person to step up in important situations. Out of the 50 centuries he has scored, 27 have been achieved while he was pursuing a target.
Tendulkar has achieved the second most number of centuries in the second innings with a total of 17.
"Global Adventures"
Kohli has achieved a hundred runs in all the countries he has played cricket in.
Not shockingly, the majority of the wins (24) were achieved in India, followed by Bangladesh and its comparable terrains as his second most prosperous country, with six victories.
Additionally, he has successfully obtained five points on the tracks that are known for their uneven bounces in Australia and three more in South Africa. His average score in South Africa is 76.38 over the course of 20 matches.
Actually, Kohli's average passes 50 in seven out of nine countries that he has competed in, with Sri Lanka (averaging 48.95) and New Zealand (averaging 49.66) as the sole exemptions.
Tendulkar managed to maintain an average of over 50 runs per innings only when playing in Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Singapore. In his home country of India, however, his average was slightly lower at 48.11.
Dominant Era
In the format, Kohli has had a strong 12 months and now has six centuries for the year.
In the past three years, he had only scored more than 100 points once. However, the number of chances he had to do so was limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kohli displayed impressive reliability during the 2010s, specifically in his prime years from 2011 to 2019 where he managed to accumulate over 1,000 runs in seven out of nine years.
The decade of 2010 can be specifically characterized as the period dominated by Kohli's prowess in cricket. Within that span of time, he sustained an average of 60, accumulated a remarkable 42 centuries, and amassed a total of 11,125 runs.
According to the statistics, no other batsman in the history of One Day International cricket has achieved a higher return over a period of ten years.
"Kohli's Secret To Success?"
Naturally, Kohli boasts an impressive track record no matter who is bowling against him.
He has an overall average of over 45 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs) against all kinds of bowlers. However, he performs exceptionally well against leg-spin bowlers, with an average of 78 runs throughout his career.
Out of all the bowlers he has encountered, he performs the most consistently well with an average of 197 when facing ex-South African spinner Imran Tahir.
Kohli has been in control of the game when playing against Sri Lanka's all-rounder, Angelo Mathews (with an average score of 187), and he has also managed to dominate Australia's fast bowling team consisting of Pat Cummins (with an average score of 166) and Mitchell Starc (with an average score of 139), which may come as a surprise to some.
Tim Southee, a fast bowler from New Zealand, was the one who concluded Kohli's inning on Wednesday. Southee has now dismissed Kohli seven times, which is the highest among all the bowlers.
Josh Hazlewood, a speedy bowler from Australia, has achieved the feat of dismissing the opponent team's player five times in eight matches. On the other hand, in ODI cricket, Virat Kohli has a low average of only 8.66 against James Anderson. The renowned English swing-bowler has managed to send Kohli back to the pavilion three times, having given away only 26 runs in six games played early on in the Indian's career.
An Unbeatable Record?
After surpassing Tendulkar's record, there's a strong possibility that Kohli's feat will remain unbeaten in the future.
Out of all the players presently playing, Rohit Sharma from India is the following individual on the hundred-making list in ODIs and has accomplished 31 centuries. However, Rohit is 18 months senior to Kohli.
Next up on the list are David Warner from Australia and Quinton de Kock from South Africa, both of whom are nearing retirement from this particular format.
Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan's cricket team, could potentially be the strongest contender to challenge the aforementioned record. At the age of 29, he has already scored 19 centuries in 119 matches.
Though there are uncertainties regarding the fate of the 50-over format and the timetable being more centered on T20 cricket, Kohli has the chance of holding onto his title as the king of 50-over cricket.
