India captain's record-breaking career hits a new high as he obliterates records as the fastest to 10,000 one-day runs
Kohli eclipses all to hit 10,000 ODI runs
India captain Virat Kohli has become the fastest batsman ever to score 10,000 ODI runs.
Kohli reached the milestone in the second ODI against the West Indies at Visakhapatnam, with MS Dhoni alongside him at the crease, taking 89 balls to knock off the 81 runs he needed to hit 10,000.
It came in his 205th one-day international innings to be an incredible 54 innings faster to the mark than the previous record holder, Sachin Tendulkar.
It nearly didn't happen, with Kohli dropped on 44 by Jason Holder in the deep, after he was deceived by a slower ball from West Indies debutant Obed McCoy.
Kohli became the 13th batsman overall to reach 10,000 runs in the history of one-day cricket, but not only surpassed every other player in terms of innings needed to reach the milestone, but also in career time elapsed with tonight's match 10 years and 67 days since his debut.
And, he has done it with a better strike-rate than the rest, with a career strike-rate above 92.
Kohli knocked India's legend Tendulkar off the perch as the previous fastest to 10,000 ODI runs with the Little Master having achieved the mark in 259 knocks.
Tendulkar brought up his 10,000th ODI run during a masterful century against Australia at Indore in March 2001, his 28th ODI ton at the time.
Image Id: 6AA06CCFBBA54532B32E0529EA3D4D82 Image Caption: Tendulkar hits 10,000 ODI runs in 2001 // GettyKohli already had 36 one-day centuries to his name, and seems destined to surpass Tendulkar's all-time ODI run-scoring record of 18,426.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell paid tribute to Kohli in a column he penned for Direct Hit.
"Name your format, name your conditions, and there's every chance Virat Kohli is the best batsman for the occasion," Maxwell wrote for the website that offers first-person accounts from some of Australia's leading players.
"One of the main things that separates Virat from the pack is his hunger. He’s got an insatiable appetite for runs, for being the best at everything – the best fielder, the best fitness-wise, the best batter … he’s got an incredible desire to just dominate."
Kohli's latest accolade underlines why Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh recently named him as the world's best batsman.
"He (Kohli) has got the game to survive anywhere, I think he's got the best technique of anyone in world cricket," Waugh told cricket.com.au recently.
"He and AB de Villiers have got the best techniques. And he likes the big occasion.
"Like (Brian) Lara and Tendulkar and (Viv) Richards and Javed Miandad, and all the great batsmen, they want the big occasion and that brings out the best in their cricket."
Kohli's ODI milestone follows him surpassing Tendulkar and Richards as the fastest to 6,000 Test runs, coming against England in August.
His knock in the second ODI against the West Indies comes after he scored a century in the first match as he and fellow centurion Rohit Sharma made a mockery of chasing the Windies' 323.
Fastest to 10,000 ODI Runs
Virat Kohli (India) 205 innings (10y 67d)
S Tendulkar (India) 259 inn (11y 103d)
S Ganguly (India) 272 inn (13y 204d)
R Ponting (Aus) 266 inn (12y 37d)
J Kallis (SAfrica) 272 inn (13y 14d)
MS Dhoni (India) 273 inn (13y 203d)
B Lara (WI) 278 inn (16y 37d)
R Dravid (India) 287 inn (10y 317d)
T Dilshan (SL) 293 inn (15y 227d)
K Sangakkara (SL) 296 inn (11y 227d)
Inzamam (Pak) 299 inn (12y 302d)
S Jayasuriya (SL) 328 inn (15y 226d)
M Jayawardene (SL) 333 inn (13y 298d)
India Tour of Australia 2018-19
Gillette T20s v India
November 21: The Gabba
November 23: MCG
November 25: SCG
Domain Tests v India
December 6-10: Adelaide Oval
December 14-18: Perth Stadium
December 26-30: MCG
January 3-7: SCG
Gillette ODI Series v India
January 12: SCG (D/N)
January 15: Adelaide Oval (D/N)
January 18: MCG (D/N)