When we talk about cricket, many famous names come to our mind as the game includes passion, dedication and generations of players. After his idol Sachin Tendulkar, who is referred to as the God of Cricket, former India cricket captain Virat Kohli is popularly regarded as the 2nd God of Cricket in world. Among elite peers like Steve Smith, Joe Root, Rohit Sharma, and others, Kohli, the ICC Men’s Player of the Decade, has unquestionably been the greatest battle in international cricket during the past ten years.
If you want to find out, after Sachin Tendulkar, who is the second god of cricket and why-This article is a must read for you. You will get all of his international cricket batting records as well.
Since Sunil Gavaskar, India has had an incredible tendency to develop extraordinary batters. Sachin Tendulkar succeeded Gavaskar, while Kohli succeeded the Master Blaster. The rest is history, yet they both used the same playing eleven to help India win their second ODI World Cup after 28 years. Some of the top cricket websites have even begun to provide odds on who will be the third God of Cricket because Kohli is so highly regarded as the 2nd God of Cricket in world.
Why is Virat Kohli called the 2nd God of Cricket in world?
Virat Kohli has been winning heart of millions through his dedicated performances and unbeaten centuries.
According to Kohli’s age, he has tried to surpass many of Tendulkar’s record till now making him the second God of Cricket. Kohli was known to score highest runs in a single ODI World Cup in 2023 where he scored outstanding 711 runs. This broke the records to an another level. In this article, we will explore every details that make Virat Kohli worthy of the Second God of Cricket in World.
Virat Kohli’s Career Stats : Test , ODI and T20IS
1. Fastest to reach 10,000 ODI Runs
Virat Kohli reached his 10,000 ODI runs on October 24, 2018, while he was on his way to an undefeated 157 runs. In comparison to Tendulkar, who achieved the same milestone in 259 innings against Australia in 2001, he reached it in a world record 205 innings, which was 54 fewer innings.
In addition to Tendulkar, 12 other batters, including former India captain MS Dhoni and Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara, were overcome by Kohli to achieve this feat. Ricky Ponting of Australia (266 innings) and Sourav Ganguly (263 innings) were among the other well-known players on this elite list. In just ten years and sixty-seven days since making his ODI debut, Kohli has amassed 10,000 runs.
2. Fastest to reach 12,000 ODI Runs
Virat Kohli then scored his 12,000th ODI run while playing against Australia in Rajkot after reaching the milestone of 10,000 runs. In three-match ODI Series, Kohli required just 23 runs to reach it in only his 242nd innings.
Tendulkar’s record of reaching 12,000 ODI runs in 300 innings—58 more innings than Kohli—was broken when Kohli became the quickest batsman in cricket history.
3. Highest ODI-rated Indian Batsman Ever
When New Zealand visited India for a three-match ODI series in 2017, Virat Kohli, the Indian team’s captain at the time, was in erratic form. In that series, he scored 121, 29, and 113. With a rating of 889, Kohli overtook his contemporary and RCB teammate AB de Villiers to reclaim the top rank in the ICC.
Additionally, since Sachin Tendulkar’s achievement in 1998, no Indian had received a higher ICC batting rating of 887. But Virat Kohli broke this record with a rating of 889.
4. Fastest Batsman to Score 50-International Centuries
Virat Kohli had a historic moment when India hosted Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in 2017. His undefeated 104 put India in a fantastic position at a time when the middle order as a whole collapsed on single figures. Despite India’s ability to draw the game, Kohli’s century brought him to 50 hundreds in all formats.
With his 18th Test century, Kohli tied Hashim Amla of South Africa with 50 hundreds in 348 innings. Sachin Tendulkar needed 376 innings to reach 50 international hundreds, which was 28 innings less than this. However, Tendulkar was able to retire with 100 hundreds, 20 more than current 35-year-old Virat Kohli.
5. Fastest Batsman to reach 40 ODI Hundreds
All discussions over the greatest ODI player of all time came to an end when Virat Kohli became the second batsman in cricket history to hit 40 ODI hundreds. On March 5, 2019, in Nagpur, Kohli scored 116 runs against Australia to reach 40 ODI tons in just 216 innings—a staggering 139 innings fewer than Tendulkar’s (355).
6. Only Batsman to score 50 ODI Centuries
In Nagpur, it was decided that Kohli will become the first batsman in cricket history to reach 50 ODI hundreds. On November 15, 2023, at the Wankhede against New Zealand, Kohli achieved his 50th ODI century by scoring 117 in front of an enthusiastic audience that included Tendulkar. The most significant of all was the event—the 2023 World Cup Semi-Final.
Virat Kohli in ICC World Cups
| Formats | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cups | 37 | 1795 | 59.83 | 5 / 12 |
| T20I World Cups | 25 | 1141 | 81.50 | 0 / 14 |
Cricket Legends on Virat Kohli
“To become a good player, one needs talent. To become a great player you need an attitude like Kohli ’’ – Sunil Gavaskar
“Not sure I have seen a better white- ball cricketer than Kohli ’’- Ricky Ponting
Virat Kohli – Qualities that define his aura in modern cricket
- Dedication and strong leadership – When Virat Kohli was the captain of Indian Cricket Team, his strong leadership made the team ethically competent. Kohli works daily on his body and fitness for hours. He is committed to goals, and is ready to take risks with hard work needed to reach milestone.
- Unrelenting passion- His strong passion for the game makes him worthy of the fans love he is receiving today. He never stops learning something new and tries to improve each and every day. His focus power is really commendable and makes him motivated in odds also.
- Mental toughness- Virat Kohli is known for his never giving-up attitude even in tough match-innings. His mental toughness is his biggest secret behind his success that gives him the ability to bounce up even after failures. Kohli is an inspiration for generations to come.
Conclusion
According to fans, everyone has different opinions and they consider different cricketers as the second God of Cricketer. As we know Sachin Tendulkar is the first and foremost God of Cricket. In the modern crickteting era, fans are determined to make their favourite as the second god of cricket. Although Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith, Joe Root are worthy of this title. Virat Kohli has a strong innings record that makes him the most desiring candidate for 2nd God of Cricket in World. He has done unconditional efforts to make India win the cup. His hard work, leadership skills, resilience makes him the 2nd God of cricket in modern cricket world.
Just as Sachin Tendulkar is the God of cricket since 90s. Virat Kohli is the God of cricket in 21st century. Maintaining the legacy, Kohli keeps on inspiring youngsters for cricket by his amazing centuries and unbreakable records.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Although Rohit Sharma, Steve Smith are many other cricketers are worthy of this title but Virat Kohli has strong records and centuries that makes him comparable to the God of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar.
Virat Kohli’s strong passion, resilience, leadership skills and love for the game, made him the successful cricketer he is today.
Virat Kohli has over 80 International Centuries.
Virat Kohli has secured 80 centuries in his name at the age of 35. Because of his current form , he has the opportunity and potential to break Sachin’s records.
Also, Read: 10 Most Dangerous Batsman In IPL | 6 Ball 6 Wicket Record | Godfather Of Cricket
