The Men in Blue are enjoying a week-long respite after their comprehensive victory over Pakistan on Sunday (February 23). India will resume action against New Zealand on March 2 of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in what is a dead rubber, with both teams having already qualified for the semi-finals. However, the match is important in terms of the semifinalists of the Group A table.
In the game, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who recently delivered a match-winning innings against Pakistan, ensuring India’s semi-final spot. The star batsman, who is the fastest to reach 14,000 ODI runs, is on the cusp of another record. Kohli will feature in his 300th ODI when he steps out to face New Zealand, becoming part of an exclusive list of Indian cricketers.
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Virat Kohli Joins Indian ODI Greats
With 299 ODIs to his credit, Virat Kohli will join the elite club of seven Indians to have achieved the 300-match mark. He will be joining Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the exclusive group. Here’s a glimpse of the Indians who have played the Most ODIs:
Most ODIs for India:
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 463
2. MS Dhoni – 347
3. Rahul Dravid – 340
4. Mohammad Azharuddin – 334
5. Sourav Ganguly – 308
6. Yuvraj Singh – 301
7. Virat Kohli – 299*
Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers, tops the list with 463 ODIs. He is followed by former India captain MS Dhoni, who played 347 matches. Rahul Dravid, another stalwart of Indian cricket, featured in 340 ODIs before retiring.
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Kohli’s Journey in ODI Cricket
Kohli debuted in ODIs back in 2008 and solidified his position in the Indian team by 2011. A prolific scorer, he soon became the pillar of India’s batting order. He was already one of the top batters in the world by 2012.
His leadership career started in 2012 when he joined MS Dhoni in the leadership team. Kohli took the reins for the first time in ODI matches in 2013 before becoming the permanent captain in 2017. He also became the quickest batter to 10,000 ODI runs during his captaincy, eclipsing Tendulkar’s mark in 2018.
As Virat Kohli gears up for his 300th ODI, fans will be eager to see another masterclass from the modern-day great.
