Virat Kohli became the seventh Indian player to play in 300 ODIs during the Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand. He is poised to surpass Shikhar Dhawan as India’s leading run-scorer in the Champions Trophy. The match’s outcome is crucial for semi-final positioning as India faces tough competition from New Zealand.
Virat Kohli has achieved a significant milestone by playing in his 300th One Day International (ODI) match, becoming the seventh Indian player and the overall 22nd player globally to reach this landmark. This achievement was marked during the Champions Trophy match against New Zealand on March 2 in Dubai. Kohli joins the ranks of other notable Indian players such as Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh, who reached their 300th ODI during the same ICC event.
Although the group-stage match is of limited significance as both teams have already secured spots in the semi-finals, it remains pivotal for determining the matchup dynamics in the knockout phase, with South Africa and Australia also advancing from Group B. Kohli, after delivering a remarkable unbeaten century in the recent encounter against Pakistan, aims to maintain his impressive form throughout the tournament.
In addition to his 300th ODI appearance, Kohli is only 51 runs away from becoming India’s all-time leading run-scorer in Champions Trophy history, surpassing Shikhar Dhawan’s tally of 701 runs. He has the potential to outscore Chris Gayle, the all-time leading run-scorer in the tournament at 791 runs, especially if India advances to the finals.
The statistics for the most ODI appearances by Indian players are as follows: 463 matches by Sachin Tendulkar (1989-2012), 347 by MS Dhoni (2004-2019), 340 by Rahul Dravid (1996-2011), 334 by Mohammad Azharuddin (1985-2000), 308 by Sourav Ganguly (1992-2007), 301 by Yuvraj Singh (2000-2017), and now 300 by Virat Kohli (2008-2025).
In the match against New Zealand, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma lost the toss for the tenth consecutive time, with New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner opting to field first. Sharma, however, preferred to bat first, given that India had successfully chased targets in their previous matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan. This game’s challenge is expected to be the most formidable faced by the Men in Blue so far in the tournament.
India’s lineup for the match against New Zealand included: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Virat Kohli’s 300th ODI appearance marks a significant milestone in his career, placing him among the legendary figures of Indian cricket. His pursuit of becoming the leading run-scorer in Champions Trophy history adds to the excitement of the tournament. The combination of high stakes in the match against New Zealand and Kohli’s impressive form promises a captivating contest.
Original Source: www.indiatvnews.com
