Virat Kohli: Chasing Records and ODI Century Milestones
Virat Kohli passed Sachin Tendulkar's ODI century record with his 50th ton in November 2023 and holds the record for most runs scored chasing. Explore his batting evolution, IPL legacy with RCB, and retirement from international cricket.
Virat Kohli is the defining batter of the post-Tendulkar era. Known for his extraordinary record when chasing, his metronomic consistency across all three formats, and a hunger for records that rivals any cricketer in history, Kohli passed Sachin Tendulkar's ODI century record in November 2023 and went on to accumulate 50 ODI hundreds.
The 50th ODI Century: Passing Tendulkar
On 11 November 2023, at the ODI World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai, Kohli scored his 50th ODI century — surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI centuries that had stood since 2012. Kohli had tied the record earlier in the tournament. The timing — in a World Cup knockout match, at Wankhede Stadium in front of a partisan crowd — was fitting for a player whose career has been defined by performing under pressure.
Record-Breaking 50th ODI Century
Nov 2023, Wankhede Stadium, World Cup semi-final vs NZ. Kohli: 117 off 113 balls. India won by 70 runs. 50th ODI century — most in history.
The Chasing Record
Kohli's most remarkable statistical achievement may be his record when batting second in ODIs. His average when chasing is significantly higher than his average when batting first — he averages over 65 in successful run chases, with a conversion rate of centuries that is the highest in the format. This ability to pace an innings and accelerate at precisely the right moment made him India's default fourth-innings anchor in ODI cricket for over a decade.
IPL Legacy with Royal Challengers Bangalore
Kohli joined Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as a teenager in 2008 and remained with the franchise throughout his IPL career. He scored over 8000 IPL runs — the most in the competition's history — with a highest score of 113. In 2016 he had the greatest IPL season any batter has ever produced: 973 runs in a single edition, including four centuries. RCB failed to win the IPL title in most of his years with them, but Kohli was part of the 2025 IPL-winning squad that finally delivered the trophy.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 113 | 9230 | 48.58 | 30 |
| ODIs | 292 | 13906 | 58.18 | 50 |
| T20Is | 125 | 4188 | 52.35 | 1 |
| IPL | 252 | 8004 | 37.25 | 8 |
International Retirement
Kohli retired from T20 international cricket in June 2024 following India's T20 World Cup triumph. He announced his Test retirement on May 12, 2025, ending a 14-year Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests. His final Test was in Sydney against Australia in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (January 2025). He has continued playing ODI cricket.
Frequently asked questions
How many ODI centuries has Virat Kohli scored?
Virat Kohli scored 50 ODI centuries — the most in history, passing Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49.
When did Kohli pass Tendulkar's ODI century record?
Kohli passed Tendulkar's record on 11 November 2023, scoring his 50th ODI century in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium.
How many IPL runs has Virat Kohli scored?
Virat Kohli has scored over 8000 IPL runs — the most by any batter in IPL history — all for Royal Challengers Bangalore.