Virat Kohli Surpasses Sangakkara to Trail Only Tendulkar in Total Runs Across all Formats

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Indian cricket star Virat Kohli is now the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history. The cricketer surpassed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara during a match against New Zealand on 11 January 2026. Kohli reached this huge milestone in his 624th innings.

He is now the fastest player to reach this rank; only Sachin Tendulkar remains ahead of him on the all-time list. This achievement confirms Kohli’s place as one of the greatest athletes to ever play the game.

Kohli Breaks Records in Big Win Against New Zealand

Virat Kohli needed only 25 runs to break the record when the game started in Vadodara. He played a brilliant game, scoring 93 runs off 91 balls. This performance helped India win the match by four wickets. Not to mention that Kohli reached the 28,000-run mark much faster than those before him. He took 20 fewer innings than Sachin Tendulkar to reach this total.

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Even though Kohli retired from Test cricket in 2025, he is still dominant in one-day matches. He looks fit and fast at 37 years old. Analysts say his batting average is much higher than that of other legends, compared to the stage of their careers. Fans at the stadium gave him a standing ovation when the record-breaking run was scored.

Can Virat Kohli Bridge the 6,000-Run Gap to Beat Sachin Tendulkar?

Many fans now wonder if Virat Kohli can catch Sachin Tendulkar. Presently, Kohli is about 6,340 runs behind Tendulkar’s final total, which is a very large gap to close. Kohli would likely need to play until the 2027 World Cup to have a chance. He currently scores about 800 to 1,000 runs per year in one-day cricket.

  • TV and Sponsors: Broadcasters are very excited about this chase. It brings in millions of viewers who want to see history.
  • Health and Longevity: Kohli no longer plays long Test matches, which helps him save his energy for shorter games and the IPL.
  • The Goal: His main focus now is staying healthy enough to play for two more years.
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If he keeps his current pace, he could get very close to the top spot. Every game he plays from now on will be a countdown to the world record. Overall, Virat Kohli’s new record has proven that age is just a number, as the player is now chasing the 15,000-run mark specifically in ODIs.