5 records Virat Kohli can never break
Indian captain Virat Kohli has taken his game to dizzying levels and currently, he is clubbed with Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and Joe Root when there is any talk of the best batsmen going around.
From a brash young man, Kohli has emerged as the lynchpin of Indian batting across all three formats. Also, he is the captain of the side and has undergone tremendous transformation both with the bat and his body setting high standards for all his competitors.
The Indian team under Kohli has blossomed into a formidable unit and has been brushing aside oppositions in the ongoing home season.
However, even for the driven and inspired Virat Kohli there are few records which are far fetched and despite playing at the peak of his power for some time now, these records could well be out of his reach once he is done playing the game.
In this list, we take a look at five records which Kohli might not be able to break.
5. 18426 ODI runs
Often there are plenty of comparisons done between Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar owing to their influence on the team and their run-scoring appetite.
Much like Tendulkar, Kohli is the main batsman of the team and the opposition targets him right at the start of the game. A Kohli-wicket meets extreme reactions from both the opposition and the home fans.
However, even after boasting of mind-boggling numbers in the 50-over format, Kohli might still not breach the most number of runs scored record in an ODI career. Sachin Tendulkar finished with unbelievable numbers and his 18426 runs in the 50-over format could stay on for a very long time.
4. 400* in a single innings of a Test match
After having struggled initially in Test matches, Virat Kohli has now emerged as one of the most prolific batsmen against the red ball. His prowess can be gauged from the fact that he became only the first batsman in the history of Test cricket to score 4 consecutive double centuries in 4 successive Test series.
His game has seen a tremendous transformation and all the flashiness which was so evident when he started has eased out, and today the Delhi boy scores Test runs for fun.
Despite his stellar run and strong temperament, one can safely say that it would be difficult for Kohli to match Brian Charles Lara and score 400 in a single innings of a Test match.
There are different reasons to this and the main one being that Kohli would not bat on for so long if he is convinced that his team a dominant position. He is an aggressive personality and believes that bowlers win you Test matches and hence it is safe to assume that he would not bat for such a long time just for the numbers.
3. 264 in single ODI innings
For all his talent, fantastic ability with the willow, the Indian captain cannot quite overtake his teammate Rohit Sharma when it comes down to scoring more than 264 runs in an ODI innings.
Virat Kohli walks in at number 3 and thus has technically fewer balls to face than an opener. He more often than not takes a while to settle down before opening his shoulders and when one is in pursuit of 264 on has to go after the bowlers right from the outset.
Also, the rules of the game have changed and now there are 5 fielders outside the 30-yard circle which in many ways could contain the batsmen in the death overs.
2. 15921 Test runs
We are back talking about the unbelievable numbers of Sachin Tendulkar and despite being at his prolific best Virat Kohli cannot quite breach the 15921 runs margin in Test cricket.
In 86 matches, Kohli has scored 7240 runs and this number could be another bridge which the right-hander cannot quite cross.
We have reasons behind this assumption. Alastair Cook, the England batsman, who had the most realistic chance of going past Sachin’s numbers called time on his career after scoring 12472 runs from 161 matches.
India does not play as many Test matches and even with all his hunger, Kohli is bound to fall short of this magical number.
1. 200 Test Matches
From a burly and chubby young man, Virat Kohli has transformed himself into a supremely fit and agile athlete. He made drastic changes to his diet, routine and training and all bore fruits as today the Indian captain is one of the fittest athlete going around.
However, despite his fitness, he cannot quite go on to play more than 200 matches.
Sachin played well over 20 years and in the current context when the modern player has to flourish across all three formats and the scheduling is very taxing for the body.
This is the main reason why Kohli could fall well short of the 200 mark!