Former India captain Virat Kohli is set to script history in the three-ODI series against South Africa. Kohli needs 32 more runs to surpass South Africa's legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis to become second-highest run-scorer in India-South Africa-ODI encounters over decades.
Kohli has 1,504 runs from 29 innings at an average of 65.39, including five centuries and eight fifties. Kallis holds the second spot with 1,535 runs from 34 innings at an average of 61.40, including two centuries and 11 fifties. If Kohli scores 32 or more runs in the first ODI of the series at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi, he will go past Kallis.
Kohli also has a chance to go past West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Australia’s Steve Waugh. But, he will need a big score to go past Chanderpaul and Waugh.
Top 5 run-scorers against South Africa in ODIs -
1. India's Sachin Tendulkar (2001 runs from 57 innings).
2. Australia's Ricky Ponting (1,879 runs from 48 innings).
3. Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (1,789 runs from 43 innings).
4. Australia's Steve Waugh (1,581 runs from 44 innings).
5. West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul (1,559 runs from 39 innings).
However, Kohli's batting average against South Africa in ODIs stands out. No other batter with more than 600 runs against the Proteas in ODIs has a better ODI average than Kohli’s. Only New Zealand's Kane Williamson (60.33) and England's Kevin Pietersen (64.60) come close to it.
Kohli also needs a century to break Tendulkar's record for most ODI centuries against South Africa.
6 runs to surpass Dravid
Kohli needs six more runs to go past former head coach Rahul Dravid's tally of runs at home against South Africa in the 50-over format. From nine innings, Kohli has 435 runs at home, averaging 54.37. He has two centuries and fifties against The Proteas in home conditions. Dravid is just ahead with 440 runs from 14 innings at an average of 33.44, including four fifties. The top spot belongs to 994 runs from 22 innings, averaging 47.33, featuring four centuries and as many fifties.