India vs New Zealand 2017: Kohli set for a special 200
It will be a day to remember for Virat Kohli when he leads the Indian team against New Zealand in the opening game of the three-match ODI series at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
The 28-year-old will play in his 200th ODI, making him only the 13th Indian cricketer to achieve this remarkable milestone.
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar holds the world record for most ODI appearances (463). Following in the footsteps of the Master Blaster, Kohli is on the path to ODI greatness. His ODI debut was in 2008 versus Sri Lanka. In the almost decade since, he has broken several records and proven to be a formidable batsman.
Many experts believe that he can obliterate Tendulkar's ODI record for most tons (49). However, Kohli said that it will take a "hell of an effort" to surpass Tendulkar's tally. "The great man is quite a bit away... Again, I am not thinking about that. It's only about the team where even if I score a 90 not out and the team goes across the line, it's good enough for me," Kohli said after his 30th ODI hundred in Sri Lanka last month.
In the current Indian ODI squad, Kohli is the player with the most experience after MS Dhoni, who has played 306 matches.
Known for his ability to churn out centuries consistently, Kohli will be looking forward to scoring a 100 on the momentous occasion of his 200th ODI on Sunday. The match will take place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, where India won the 2011 World Cup.
With 30 centuries, Kohli is now tied at second place with the Australian Ricky Ponting, and it will be interesting to see how far he can go.
Kohli's ODI career in numbers
Matches - 199; Runs - 8,767
Hundreds - 30; Fifties - 45
Average - 55.13; Strike rate - 91.48
Sixes - 94; Fours - 818
Most ODI appearances for India - top five
463 - Sachin Tendulkar
344 - Rahul Dravid
334 - Mohammad Azharuddin
311 - Sourav Ganguly
306 - M. S. Dhoni