Know who is the second God of Cricket after Sachin Tendulkar and why is he called so. Also, get all his batting records in international cricket.
Former India cricket captain Virat Kohli is widely considered the Second God of Cricket, following in the footsteps of his idol Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary “God of Cricket.” Kohli, crowned ICC Men’s Player of the Decade, has undoubtedly been the standout batsman over the last ten years, standing above contemporaries like Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Rohit Sharma.
India has a remarkable legacy of producing cricketing legends. Starting with Sunil Gavaskar, followed by Tendulkar, and then Kohli, the country continues to shine with world-class talent. Kohli and Tendulkar shared the Indian dressing room during India’s iconic 2011 ODI World Cup win. Kohli’s rise has been so profound that even top betting sites have started offering odds on who will be the next “God of Cricket.”
Why is Virat Kohli Called the Second God of Cricket?
While Kohli hasn’t broken every record of Tendulkar, and doing so may seem a distant possibility, he has surpassed some significant milestones. One standout achievement was Kohli breaking Tendulkar’s long-standing record for most runs in a single ODI World Cup. In the 2023 tournament, Kohli accumulated a staggering 711 runs, surpassing Tendulkar’s 673 runs from the 2003 World Cup.
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Below are a few moments where Kohli outshined even his idol, Tendulkar:
Virat Kohli’s Career Stats: Test, ODI, and T20Is
Fastest to Reach 10,000 ODI Runs
On October 24, 2018, during an unbeaten knock of 157, Kohli reached the 10,000 ODI-run milestone in just 205 innings, a world record. He did this 54 innings faster than Tendulkar, who reached the same mark in 259 innings in 2001. Kohli surpassed other legends like Kumar Sangakkara, MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Ricky Ponting to achieve this in just 10 years and 67 days since his debut.
Fastest to Reach 12,000 ODI Runs
Kohli crossed the 12,000-run mark in ODIs during a match against Australia in Rajkot. He needed only 23 runs to reach this milestone, achieving it in 242 innings, 58 fewer than Tendulkar, who took 300 innings.
Highest ICC ODI Rating by an Indian Batsman
In 2017, Kohli achieved a career-high ICC rating of 889 after scores of 121, 29, and 113 against New Zealand. This surpassed AB de Villiers and was the highest rating for an Indian since Tendulkar’s 887 in 1998.
Fastest to 50 International Centuries
In 2017, Kohli scored his 18th Test century and reached 50 international centuries in just 348 innings, 28 fewer than Tendulkar. While Tendulkar retired with 100 centuries, Kohli, at 35, is still chasing the elusive mark.
Fastest to 40 ODI Hundreds
On March 5, 2019, Kohli became the second player in history to score 40 ODI centuries, achieving the feat in just 216 innings, 139 fewer than Tendulkar’s 355.
First to Score 50 ODI Centuries
Kohli made history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 ODI centuries. This milestone came on November 15, 2023, at the Wankhede Stadium, when Kohli scored 117 runs in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, with Tendulkar himself in attendance.
Virat Kohli’s World Cup Records
| Formats | Innings | Runs | Average | 100 / 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cups | 37 | 1795 | 59.83 | 5 / 12 |
| T20I World Cups | 25 | 1141 | 81.50 | 0 / 14 |
While Tendulkar’s longevity remains unmatched, Kohli’s scoring rate, fitness, and consistency have set him apart. He trails Tendulkar by only 483 World Cup runs, despite having played two fewer tournaments. In the T20 World Cup, Kohli reigns supreme as the all-time leading run-scorer with 1141 runs at an astonishing average of 81.50.
Cricket Legends on Virat Kohli
“To become a good player, you need talent. To become a great player, you need an attitude like Kohli.” – Sunil Gavaskar
“Not sure I have seen a better white-ball cricketer ever than Kohli.” – Ricky Ponting
“Kohli’s success doesn’t surprise you. His failures do.” – Sanjay Manjrekar
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