Virat Kohli set to break Ricky Ponting's all-time ODI record vs New Zealand

After the 3-2 win in the T20I series, the focus will shift to the ODIs as India continue their preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027. The five-ODI series begins on November 4, and all eyes will be on India's senior batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Yet again, Kohli will have a chance to break another all-time ODI record. He can break the record for most runs in ODI history against New Zealand, dethroning Australia's legendary captain Ricky Ponting.

Kohli needs 75 more runs in the five-ODI series to move past Ponting. Currently, Kohli has 1,897 runs from 36 ODIs at an average of 57.48 and a strike rate of 96.63, including seven tons and 12 fifties. Ponting is at the top with 1,971 runs from 50 ODI innings, averaging 45.83 and striking at 81.71. He has six tons and 12 fifties against the Kiwis.

Apart from Ponting, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, Australia's Dean Jones have 12 ODI fifties against BlackCaps as well. Kohli can eye that record as well.

If Kohli scores 103 more runs, he will become the first batter to score 2,000 ODI runs against New Zealand.

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Most ODI runs by visiting batter vs New Zealand

Kohli will need to have a good run in the ODI series if he is to break the all-time record for most runs in the format by a visiting batter against New Zealand.

Australia's Mark Waugh is at the top with 832 runs from 18 ODI innings against New Zealand in New Zealand. He averaged nearly 49 and scored a century along with eight fifties.

Kohli is among the four Indian batters with more than 500 runs on New Zealand ODI tours. Sachin Tendulkar is at the top with 652 runs from 18 innings, followed by Virender Sehwag (598 runs from 12 ODI innings). Kohli has 514 runs from 11 ODIs at an average of 46.72, featuring a ton and four fifties. The only other Indian batter with more than 500 runs on the list is MS Dhoni. (505 runs from 11 innings). For an Asian batter, the record belongs to Sangakkara with 785 runs from 21 innings.

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Kohli to break Tendulkar's chase record

Kohli has been dubbed the 'chase master' for the way he plans run chases and often executes them. While he may not be able to break Tendulkar's record for most ODI runs, he is just 54 runs away from becoming the highest ODI run-scorer in chases. While chasing in 168 ODI innings, he has 8,667 runs, averaging 66.16. He has 30 tons and 45 fifties in ODI run chases. Tendulkar currently holds the record with 8,720 runs from 232 ODI innings while chasing.

2 runs and another ODI record in Kohli’s name 

Kohli has 15,109 runs in his ODI career so far. But he has made the no.3 position his own. He needs just two more runs to complete 13,000 ODI runs. Only Tendulkar has more runs batting at a single position. While opening, he has 1,5310 ODI runs. He is followed by Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya with 12,740 runs as an opener. At no.3, Ponting is the closest to Kohli with 12,662 runs.

Most hundreds in List A cricket

Kohli is one century away from breaking Tendulkar’s record for most centuries in List A cricket (domestic One-Dayers and ODIs). Both Kohli and Tendulkar have 60 centuries in the format. The next batter on the list is England's Graham Gooch with 44 tons.

Kohli's ODI record in New Zealand

Kohli has played three ODIs in Auckland, including two against New Zealand. He has scored 59 runs from three innings at the venue, including a 38-run knock against Zimbabwe. The last time he played an ODI in Auckland was in February 2020. He was dismissed for a 25-ball 15 by Tim Southee in an unsuccessful run chase. India lost the ODI by 22 runs.

Kohli's numbers in previous ODI series in New Zealand

During his century drought, Kohli scored 75 runs in the three-ODI series in 2020. His only half-century on the tour came in the Hamilton ODI. Before that, he scored 148 runs from three ODIs in January 2019.

12 years since Kohli's only ODI century in New Zealand

Kohli's only ODI century against New Zealand in New Zealand came in January 2014. In the Napier ODI, he scored 123 runs from 111 balls. But he did not get support from the other end and lost his wicket to left-arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan in the slog overs. Chasing a target of 294, India were bowled out for 268 in 48.4 overs, losing the match by 24 runs.

Kohli's ODI form in 2026

Kohli is India's third run-scorer in ODIs played in 2026 despite missing the series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury. From nine ODI innings, he has scored 552 runs, averaging 69. His strike rate has considerably improved, almost touching 118. He has two tons and three half-centuries in the year so far.

India’s updated ODI squad for the first three ODIs:

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan (wk), Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy (only for the first ODI), Auqib Nabi. 

India’s ODI squad for fourth and fifth ODIs:

Shreyas Iyer (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (vc & wk), Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav.

India vs New Zealand ODI series schedule