Virat Kohli creates record for scoring maximum cumulative runs in 3 ODI innings
Kohli is a run machine in its truest sense. He has now scored five centuries in the past six ODIs he has played in India.
The 29-year-old is currently seen leading by example in the ongoing ODI series between India and West Indies. After India dominated in the Test matches, the Windies have shown promise in the first two ODIs, both of which have been high scoring and went over 300 runs. In the first match, the Windies put up 322 on board. The Men in Blue chased the total in just 42.1 overs thanks to sublime innings by both Rohit and captain Kohli -- with the former making 152 in 117 balls and the latter scoring 140 in just 107.
The second match went down to the wire. India batted first and ended with 321/6 in their 50 overs. Kohli scored a ton in this match as well and went on to make a mammoth 157 in 129 deliveries. In response, the match went to the last ball with the Windies needing five off it. Shai Hope hit a four off the last ball and the match ended in a tie.
Kohli has officially become the first Indian batsman and 10th overall to score three consecutive centuries in ODIs. The venue for the third ODI was Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. India won the toss and chose to field. The Windies scored a fighting total of 283. Virat Kohli took it upon himself once again to come to the rescue of the Men in Blue.
He scored 107 from 119 deliveries, making it his third consecutive century in ODIs. Kumar Sangakkara is the only batsman to score four consecutive centuries. If we take a cumulative total of runs in three innings of all the centurions who scored three in a row till date then Kohli is on top.
India's captain Kohli scored 140 + 157 + 107 = 404 runs in three innings -- the maximum out of all those who have achieved the feat of scoring three consecutive centuries. Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa being the next and followed by Babar Azam of Pakistan. If we include Sangakkara then undoubtedly the honour will go to him as he scored 4 consecutive centuries in 2015. His cumulative score in those 4 innings was 450 runs which is the highest in terms of consecutive centuries. But here we are talking about only 3 consecutive centuries and not more than that-- so, Kohli is the leader here because if we take Sangakkara's 3 innings in which he scored consecutive centuries his total is 326 runs which stand lower than Kohli's 404 runs.
Kohli averages 91.03 in 55 matches as captain. To average over 90 is near inhuman. The records of the Delhi boy just keep on coming. A few days back he also broke Sachin's record of reaching 10000 runs in a minimum number of innings. While the Master Blaster had achieved the milestone in 259 innings, it took Kohli just 205 innings.