Virat Kohli breaks silence on Sachin Tendulkar comparisons after 15,000 ODI runs
After reaching 15,000 ODI runs in 74 fewer innings than Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli clarifies his focus remains on team requirements, not individual landmarks.
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Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 139 off 88 balls in India's eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the first ODI at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on September 27, 2026. The innings marked his record-extending 55th ODI century, achieved off just 74 balls. With this milestone, Kohli crossed 15,000 ODI runs, becoming only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach this landmark.
Kohli's journey to 15,000 runs took 303 innings, compared to Tendulkar's 377 innings, a difference of 74 innings. The achievement also saw Kohli move past Tendulkar's tally for most ODI runs scored in home conditions and equalled Tendulkar's record of 42 international centuries at home. Despite these record-breaking performances, Kohli addressed the persistent comparisons between himself and Tendulkar in the post-match period.
"For me, Sachin paaji is always going to be Sachin paaji. MS Dhoni is always going to be MS Dhoni in terms of being my first captain. These things cannot change inside me. I have never looked at myself as a guy who has established and achieved. You never really get to a position where you say that's it. I've done it," Kohli said to Star Sports.
"Records were not driving his approach to the game, Kohli explained. His attention remained on understanding the situation and contributing to team requirements rather than chasing individual landmarks. The focus on personal milestones, he suggested, would distract from what truly matters in cricket: performing for the team when it is needed most," he added.
Tendulkar's impact transcends numbers and comparisons
Kohli has been the subject of comparison with Tendulkar for many years, with each new record intensifying the debate among cricket followers. Despite overtaking Tendulkar in the count of ODI centuries, Kohli holds deep respect for the former India captain. He acknowledged that Tendulkar's impact on the sport transcends numbers and statistical comparisons.
"You can be content, but if you put your head down and you are humble enough to perform and prepare and just do the right things in sport, from an ego perspective, you can never get to a position saying 'I'm better than everyone else'. Because that's the end. He revolutionised the game in his time. And that for me is way beyond numbers and comparisons. The impact he left on people will never be forgotten," Kohli added.
How Kohli sees himself beyond public perception
Kohli also clarified how he perceives himself in relation to public perception. He explained that he does not see himself through the same lens as other people do, emphasizing his humility despite all accolades and recognition. People know him from a distance through his performances, but his understanding of who he is comes from a different place entirely, rooted in where he has come from and the person he has always been.
"It's very similar to when someone who really loves the game admires me and what I've done playing for the country. When they come in, they meet me in a certain way. I'm not able to understand their perspective. For me, I am not the person that they have made me to be, because they know me from a distance. They know my performances and me playing cricket. At its core, I understand where I have come from. And you never really stop being the person that you are. I don't see myself through the same lens as other people do," Kohli concluded.
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