The fastest batsman to score 10,000 runs in ODI. The most number of double centuries as a Test captain. The first cricketer to score 20,000 international runs in a decade. The most successful captain India has ever had.
Virat Kohli's career has been marked by records. He is, after all, the world’s number one batsman in the ICC rankings in both Test and ODIs (as well as the first Indian to have a rating of above 890 points in Tests).
Now, with the final decisive India-West Indies T20 set to begin, he is just six runs shy of his next—to become the first Indian cricketer to score 1,000 runs in T20Is played at home.
If Kohli does this, he would be just the third batsman internationally to achieve this feat, after New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and Colin Munro.
India and West Indies are set to play a crucial decider match today at the legendary Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with the series level at 1-1 after West Indies made a strong comeback in the second T20I against a lacklustre Indian batting performance.
Kohli shined in the first game as his frustration from scoring no runs in the first half of the game converted into an anger that makes him a batsman to be feared. The first T20 was marked by the intense staredowns between the captains of both sides, as Kieron Pollard tried desperately for Kohli’s wicket.
Pollard, too, will be eyeing records in today’s match. He is ten runs shy of crossing the 1,000-run-mark in T20Is (a feat achieved by four Windies batsmen before him). In addition, he is 56 runs shy of becoming the second-highest run-getter in T20s overall, taking the second spot from Brendon McCullum.
The number-one position for runs scored in T20s is held by ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, with 13,152 runs.
