India batting maestro Virat Kohli is on the cusp of shattering yet another world record, needing just 25 runs to reach 28,000 international runs—and in doing so, he is set to become the fastest batter ever to reach the milestone, surpassing legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli will have the opportunity to break the record during India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11 in Vadodara.

Kohli poised to become fastest to 28,000 international runs

Kohli currently has 27,975 international runs in just 623 innings across all formats. If he reaches 28,000 runs in his next appearance, he will become only the third cricketer to achieve the feat, joining Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara.

However, what sets Kohli apart is the speed at which he has accumulated runs. Sachin Tendulkar reached 28,000 international runs in 644 innings, while Kumar Sangakkara took 666 innings. Kohli is on track to reach the landmark in 623 or 624 innings, making him the fastest ever by a significant margin.

Given his current form and the three-match ODI series against New Zealand on the horizon, it is widely expected that Kohli will reach the milestone during the series.

Kohli to play third Vijay Hazare Trophy match

Ahead of the New Zealand series, Kohli will feature in Delhi’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Railways on January 6 at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, confirmed Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley.

While the BCCI mandated that all centrally-contracted players must play at least two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, Kohli has opted to play a third match to ensure he is match-ready for the New Zealand series.

“As of now, he is playing. Virat has given his availability for three games,” Jaitley told PTI.

Kohli has been in scintillating form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, smashing 131 and 77 in his first two matches for Delhi. In the process, he also became the fastest to 16,000 List A runs, reaching the milestone in his 330th innings and surpassing Sachin Tendulkar, who took 391 innings.

India squad to assemble in Vadodara by January 8

According to a BCCI source, the Indian ODI squad for the New Zealand series will assemble in Vadodara by January 8, with the possibility that Kohli might arrive a day earlier to train ahead of the series opener on January 11.

The three-match ODI series against the Black Caps will be played in Vadodara (January 11), Rajkot (January 14), and Indore (January 18), as India continue their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Bumrah and Pandya to be rested

Meanwhile, as PTI reported earlier, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will be rested from the ODI series as part of their workload management routine created by the BCCI sports science team.

Both players will be crucial for India during the home T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7, and the decision to rest them reflects the board’s focus on keeping them fresh for the marquee tournament.