Virat Kohli needs one run in Wellington on Saturday to pass Ricky Ponting for most ODI runs against New Zealand and claim the Virat Kohli Ponting record. His 74 off 51 balls in Auckland left both men level on 1,971 runs. India lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the rain-hit opener by five wickets.
Kohli turned 38 on Thursday. Fans sang happy birthday to him as he arrived at Wellington airport ahead of the second ODI. A single run on Saturday would give him sole ownership of the record. He now shares it with one of Australia’s greatest captains. It would also extend a remarkable run of form in a series India already lead.
Auckland opener sets up the Virat Kohli Ponting record
India bowled New Zealand out for 185 in 40.2 overs in the series opener at Eden Park on November 4, according to match reports. Rain twice interrupted India’s reply. It then cut the target to 143 in 32 overs, which India reached with 56 balls to spare.
Kohli struck 13 fours and a six in his 74, his 80th ODI half-century. He shared a 113-run stand with captain Shubman Gill, who made 37. Former India captain Ravi Shastri described the innings as one worth a hundred in difficult conditions, according to Sportskeeda.
Kohli level with Ponting on 1,971
Kohli has now scored 1,971 runs in 37 ODIs against New Zealand at an average of 57.97. He has seven centuries and 11 half-centuries, according to ABP Live and Sportskeeda. Ponting reached the same total in 50 innings between 1995 and 2011, according to Outlook.
| Batter | ODI runs vs New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 1,971 |
| Ricky Ponting | 1,971 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1,750 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 1,568 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 1,519 |
Kohli’s Auckland innings also carried two other milestones, according to multiple reports. He became the first batter to score 13,000 ODI runs batting at number three. He also moved past Sachin Tendulkar’s 8,720 runs in ODI chases to 8,741.
India had not won an ODI in New Zealand since Wellington in February 2019 before Wednesday’s win. The second match also takes the series back to Wellington on Saturday, November 7. New Zealand, already without Chapman and Ravindra for the series, will look to level the series. Three matches still remain after Wellington.
The confirmed facts are simple: Kohli and Ponting are level on 1,971 runs, and India lead the series 1-0. No one can yet say whether Kohli will take the record outright in Wellington. He still needs one run. The second ODI then takes place in Wellington on Saturday, November 7.
