Virat Kohli vs. Zeeshan Khan: Kohli approaches the record for most ducks in international cricket

In the second ODI between India and New Zealand, the Indian team secured a tense victory by 4 runs according to DLS rules, despite an interruption due to rain, thus extending their series lead to 2-0. The young Indian cricketers brought the New Zealand team to 134 runs.

When the Indian team began the chase, star batsman Virat Kohli was unable to play a long innings and was dismissed after scoring only 7 runs. However, it was within this brief innings that Kohli achieved a historic feat.

During this second ODI, Virat Kohli set a record for the highest number of runs scored against New Zealand in ODI cricket. He surpassed the long-standing record held by Australian former captain Ricky Ponting. Previously, Ponting had scored 1971 runs against the New Zealand team in ODIs.

Kohli had equaled this record by scoring 74 runs in the first match of the series, and in the current match, he took the lead barely starting his innings. Despite scoring only 7 runs off 7 balls in this match and falling victim to Jacob Davies, he reached a new milestone against the Kiwi bowlers.

Virat Kohli currently has a total of 1978 runs in 38 ODIs against New Zealand with an average of 56.51. Furthermore, Kohli already holds the record for the most seventh-wicket hauls against New Zealand in ODI format. Regarding scoring over 50 runs (18 times), he is now on par with Ricky Ponting.

Due to rain, the match was extended to 47-47 overs, and the young Indian batting lineup fully utilized this opportunity. Guruon Narra took 4 wickets, demonstrating excellent play, while Akib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj, and Axar Patel helped dismiss two players, taking two wickets each.

When the Indian team was struggling and lost 7 wickets at 113 runs, the answer to New Zealand's 134 runs, rain intervened, and India was declared the winner by DLS method. Although the match was short, Virat Kohli's record attracted the attention of fans.

During the first ODI match between India and New Zealand, held at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland, Virat Kohli set a significant record. The Indian 'run-scoring machine' Virat Kohli reached a historic milestone that no great cricketer in history has managed to achieve, scoring just 12 runs against the Kiwi bowlers.

The number three position in ODIs is considered one of the most difficult and important batting positions. By occupying this spot, Virat Kohli became the first and only player in ODI history to cross the 13,000-run barrier. He needed only 12 runs to reach this momentous mark, and when he completed his twelfth run, the entire Eden Park stadium erupted in applause.

While chasing a target of 186 runs, when Virat completed his twelfth run on the thirteenth ball, he became the first and only player in ODIs to score 13,000 runs at number three. Currently, former Australian great captain Ricky Ponting is second in this ranking with 12,662 runs. Kohli and Ponting are the only players in ODI history to have scored over 10,000 runs at number three.

Kohli reached this mark while maintaining an average of 61.55 and an impressive strike rate of 95.4 while playing at number three. At this position, he has registered 48 centuries and 69 half-centuries.

Furthermore, Virat Kohli is approaching the record of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 15,310 runs batting at the top order. He continues to increase his lead by scoring over 13,000 runs at number three.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the five-match one-day series between India and New Zealand, which begins on November 4th. This series will once again provide an opportunity for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to showcase their abilities.

Before the start of the series, former India test player Cheteshwar Pujara made a significant statement. He believes that under conditions characterized by the pace and spin from New Zealand, Virat Kohli has a higher chance of scoring a century than Rohit Sharma.

Discussing the roles and batting order of both players during a conversation with JioStar, Pujara elaborated on the tasks. He noted that Rohit Sharma should aim for a quick run-scoring start to give the team a strong beginning. However, given the challenging conditions in New Zealand, opening batsmen have to play very cautiously against the new ball, which could pose difficulties for Rohit.

In contrast, Virat Kohli bats at number three in the lineup, which gives him more opportunities to play the anchor role in the ODI format.

According to Pujara, it becomes slightly easier for a batsman batting at number three to reach a century, which is why he rates Virat above Rohit. Both athletes are currently in excellent form. Recently, Virat played an incomplete innings of 139 runs against West India, while Rohit scored 225 runs across three matches.

Beyond the discussion about centuries, Pujara shared his opinion on the final outcome of the entire series. He stated that in this tour, the Indian team is divided into two groups: one squad will be used for the first three matches, and different players will be involved in the last two matches. Pujara believes this will give New Zealand a significant strategic advantage, as the Kiwi team will play with the same squad throughout the series. He predicts that India might gain an edge by winning the first three matches, but the last two games will be very difficult. Furthermore, he expressed concern that due to the weather in New Zealand, at least one match of the series might be cancelled due to rain, potentially resulting in a 2-2 draw for the series.