Virat Kohli Creates History Against New Zealand
Indian cricket star Virat Kohli achieved a significant milestone on Wednesday. He surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar to become India's highest run-scorer against New Zealand in One Day Internationals.
Record-Breaking Moment in Second ODI
The historic moment occurred during the second ODI of the ongoing series. Kohli entered the match level with Tendulkar's tally after scoring 93 runs in the series opener at Vadodara. He needed just one run to claim the record for himself.
Kohli wasted no time in making history. He moved ahead of the former India captain with a boundary off the very first ball he faced. This shot gave him sole possession of the top spot among Indian batters against New Zealand in the 50-over format.
Kohli's Current Standing
Kohli now boasts 1,773 runs against New Zealand in ODIs. This puts him ahead of Tendulkar's 1,750 runs. However, the overall record still belongs to Australia's Ricky Ponting, who remains on top with 1,971 runs against the Black Caps.
The Indian batter's innings ended on 23 runs when New Zealand fast bowler Kristian Clarke bowled him in the 24th over. Clarke angled the ball into the right-hander, and Kohli attempted to guide it through point but dragged it back onto the stumps.
Match and Series Context
Earlier in the day, New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and chose to bowl first. India had won the opening ODI in Vadodara by four wickets and currently lead the three-match series 1-0. The final ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.
Both teams made one change for this match. New Zealand brought in left-arm spin all-rounder Jayden Lennox, leaving out wrist-spinner Adithya Ashok. India were forced into a change after off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar suffered a rib injury in the first ODI.
Sundar was ruled out of the entire series following that injury. Batter Ayush Badoni was added to the squad for the remaining matches, while all-rounder Nitish Reddy came into the playing XI as Sundar's replacement.
The series continues to generate excitement among cricket fans across India. Kohli's record-breaking performance adds another chapter to his already illustrious career against New Zealand.
