IND vs NZ 2026: Virat Kohli inches closer to breaking Sachin Tendulkar's monumental international record

Star cricketer Virat Kohli is set to pull on India colours once again as the hosts take on New Zealand, and timing could hardly be more compelling. Fresh off a domestic stint with Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, his first appearance in the tournament in over ten years — the former India captain showed no signs of slowing down, seamlessly extending the rich vein of form he displayed during the recent ODIs against South Africa.

Widely regarded as one of the most prolific batters the game has ever seen, Kohli is now at the phase of his career where milestones are rarely far away. Ahead of the opening match against New Zealand on January 11, he finds himself on the cusp of yet another landmark. The talismanic cricketer currently sits on 27,975 runs, leaving him just 25 short of the 28,000 mark.

If he manages to cross that figure in the upcoming series, or even during the subsequent white-ball tour of England in July, Kohli stands a strong chance of becoming the fastest player to breach past the 28,000 international runs. He has so far taken 623 innings to get this close, compared to Sachin Tendulkar’s 644 innings when the batting icon reached the same milestone.

Breaking records once held by the God of Cricket is not an unfamiliar territory for the modern-day master. The most defining example came during the 2023 World Cup, when Kohli surpassed Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 49 ODI centuries. He now enters the series against the BlackCaps with 53 hundreds to his name, with an aim to extend the tally further.

While he is done with T20Is and Tests, the 37-year-old appears to have rediscovered his dominance in one-dayers since 2023. After rejoining the ODI setup last year following his red-ball commitments, he ended the 2025 calendar year with 651 runs from 13 matches, averaging an impressive 65.10, including three centuries and four fifties. He also top-scored for India in the format the previous year.

With the 2027 World Cup firmly in his sights, the New Delhi-born will be keen to build further momentum in this series.