Virat Kohli breaks Sachin Tendulkar's record after defeating West Indies
VIRAT Kohli has broken another Sachin Tendulkar record, becoming the first batter in ODI history to score more than 7,000 runs on home soil.
The 37-year-old scored his 55th ODI century after a stunning unbeaten 139 off 88 balls. He smashed 10 fours and a career-best nine sixes, finishing with a strike rate of 157.95. He became only the second batter after Tendulkar to reach 15,000 ODI runs, achieving the landmark in his 303rd innings, 74 innings quicker than the former India great.
However, Kohli also broke another record of the cricket legend. He reached 7,006 home ODI runs, moving past Tendulkar’s previous record of 6,976 during India’s eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the first ODI in Thiruvananthapuram.
Kohli had not played an ODI since India’s tour of England in July. His previous appearance came on July 19 at Lord’s, where he scored 74.
His return to home conditions could hardly have been better. Kohli brought up his half-century from 40 balls before accelerating through the second half of his innings. He completed his century from 74 balls, reaching the milestone with a six.
Shubman Gill also struck a century, scoring 110, as India chased down West Indies’ 295-7 in just 41.4 overs to win by eight wickets with 50 balls remaining.
For Kohli, the innings added another chapter to a career that continues to rewrite Tendulkar’s ODI records, while also taking him closer to the batting legend’s mark of 100 international centuries.
