Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli has achieved another remarkable milestone in international cricket, becoming the first player in ODI history to score 13,000 runs while batting at number three.
The 37-year-old reached the historic landmark during the opening ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland. Kohli needed just 12 runs to reach the milestone and completed it off his 13th delivery.
He achieved the feat in just 251 innings, underlining his remarkable consistency at the number three position.
Kohli has maintained an outstanding average of 61.55 while batting at number three. He has also scored 48 centuries and nearly 70 half-centuries from this position.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting ranks second on the list with 12,662 runs, followed by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara with 9,747 runs.
South Africa’s Jacques Kallis occupies fourth place with 7,774 runs, while New Zealand’s Kane Williamson is fifth with 6,504 runs.
With most of the players closest to Kohli having retired from international cricket, his record appears extremely difficult to surpass.
Among active players, Pakistan’s Babar Azam has scored 6,054 runs at number three, while England’s Joe Root has accumulated 5,525 runs, leaving both significantly behind Kohli.
Kohli has also enjoyed an impressive 2026 campaign. Before the New Zealand series, he had scored 552 runs in nine innings, including two centuries and three half-centuries.