Virat Kohli about to create another world record: Details here
What's the story
Indian skipper Virat Kohli is probably the only man after Sachin Tendulkar, who has been scripting records with each passing game. While he became the fastest man to score 11,000 ODI runs, in the last game against Pakistan, he is on the verge of scripting another one. He could create this record in Saturday's World Cup match against Afghanistan. Here are the details.
Record
Kohli aims to score 20,000 international runs
As of now, Kohli is just 104 runs away from 20,000 international runs. A successful attempt to do so would make him the 12th batsman to reach the milestone. He would also become the third Indian after Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid to reach the landmark. Judging by his current form, the record could very well come up on Saturday.
Fastest
Kohli can also become fastest to the landmark
However, scoring 20,000 international runs is not all that Kohli would target. In all likelihood, he is set to become the fastest batsman to reach this mark. The current record is jointly held by Tendulkar and West Indian Brian Lara, who took 453 innings to score 20,000 runs. Kohli, on the other hand, has so far played just 415 innings.
Current form
Kohli's current form gives him the edge
Such is Kohli's clout in ODIs, that even after scoring two consecutive half-centuries in the World Cup, fans are still complaining about his form. He is yet to hit the three-figure mark in the tournament, and he might be able to breach it against Afghanistan. With his record, he would further cement his legacy in the white-ball cricket.
Author's take
Kohli will look to fill Shikhar Dhawan shaped void
While the author firmly believes the record is likely to be broken in the next two innings, it is least of Kohli's concern right now. India have lost their prolific opener Shikhar Dhawan, who has been their go-to man in the ICC events. As a thumb injury has ruled him out, the onus is now on Kohli and Rohit Sharma to fill the void.