Sydney, October 25, 2025 - Virat Kohli etched his name further into the annals of cricket history today, notching up his 75th One Day International (ODI) half-century during the third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). In doing so, he surpassed both Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara in terms of total ODI fifties, achieving a feat that underscores his remarkable consistency and longevity in the 50-over format.
Kohli's innings was met with a standing ovation as he walked to the crease at the SCG. After scoring back-to-back ducks in the first two matches, Kohli looked determined to make an impact. He started his innings with a single off the very first delivery. He reached his fifty in 56 balls, marked by a classic Kohli-esque chase. The crowd erupted, chanting his name as he calmly raised his bat to acknowledge the milestone.
Furthermore, in this innings, Kohli also surpassed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history. He achieved this feat when he crossed the 54-run mark, taking his total to 14,235 runs in 305 matches. Sangakkara amassed 14,234 runs in 404 ODI matches. Only Sachin Tendulkar remains ahead of him with 18,426 runs.
The significance of Kohli's achievement is amplified by the sheer volume of runs he has accumulated in a relatively shorter span than his predecessors. While Tendulkar played 463 matches and Sangakkara played 404 matches, Kohli has reached his milestone in just 305 matches. His average of 57.6 further exemplifies his dominance. Among active cricketers, Rohit Sharma is the next highest run-scorer at tenth position with 11,310 runs.
Kohli had come into this series with several milestones within reach. Before the series, he needed 54 runs to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODIs. He also needed one more century to hold the record for most centuries in a single format. Besides this, he also had the opportunity to become the fastest to reach 28,000 international runs and to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record in limited-overs cricket.
The match saw Rohit Sharma also in fine form, scoring his 33rd ODI century. Sharma now jointly holds the record with Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries against Australia in ODIs.
With India chasing a target, the partnership between Kohli and Sharma proved to be decisive. Kohli ultimately secured the win for India with a boundary, finishing the match with 69 off 79 balls.
