Continuing to rewrite the record books of international cricket, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli achieved another unprecedented milestone on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, becoming the first player in One Day International (ODI) history to amass 13,000 runs while batting at the No. 3 position.
Kohli reached the historic landmark during the opening match of India’s five-match ODI series against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland. Entering the contest needing just 12 runs to reach the 13,000-run threshold at No. 3, the right-hander tucked a good-length delivery from Kiwi pacer Kyle Jamieson towards deep backward square leg to seal the milestone in his 251st innings at the position.
Extending Superiority at the Pivotal No. 3 Spot
Batting at the crucial one-down position has been the cornerstone of Kohli’s international career, yielding 48 of his 55 total ODI centuries (over 87% of his hundreds):
- Breaking Ponting’s Benchmark: Kohli originally surpassed legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting’s long-standing record of 12,662 runs at No. 3 during the Indore ODI earlier in the year. Today’s milestone pushes him into a class of his own.
- Exceptional Consistency: While Ponting took 330 innings to score 12,662 runs at an average of 42.48, Kohli reached 13,000 runs in 79 fewer innings, boasting a staggering average of 61.61 alongside 48 centuries and 69 fifties at the position.
Most Runs at No. 3 in ODI Cricket History:
1. Virat Kohli (India) — 13,000 runs (Avg: 61.61, 48 100s)
2. Ricky Ponting (Australia) — 12,662 runs (Avg: 42.48, 29 100s)
3. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) — 9,747 runs (Avg: 44.71, 18 100s)
4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) — 7,774 runs (Avg: 45.72, 13 100s)
5. Kane Williamson (New Zealand) — 6,504 runs (Avg: 51.61, 13 100s)
Chasing History: Only Tendulkar Ahead
Across all single batting positions in ODI history, Kohli now trails only Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 15,310 runs as an opener. Having passed Sanath Jayasuriya’s opening tally of 12,740 runs earlier in his career, Kohli sits comfortably as the second most prolific run-scorer at any single batting spot in 50-over cricket.
The achievement builds upon Kohli’s impressive recent milestone in September, when he crossed 15,000 career ODI runs against the West Indies.
