Virat Kohli became the first batter in One Day International history to reach 13,000 runs at the No. 3 batting position on Wednesday, scoring 74 off 51 balls as India defeated New Zealand by five wickets in Auckland. The rain-shortened New Zealand vs India opener at Eden Park was decided via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, the mathematical formula used to revise targets in weather-interrupted limited-overs cricket, with India finishing on 143/5 in 22.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Returning to India’s ODI starting XI alongside Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, Kohli reached the 13,000-run mark at No. 3 while maintaining a career batting average of 61.61 in the spot, according to The Times of India. He is only the second player in ODI history to score 13,000 or more runs at any single batting position, joining former India batter Sachin Tendulkar, who accumulated 13,685 runs as an opener at No. 2.
All-Time ODI Run-Scorers at No. 3
Before Wednesday’s innings in Auckland, no player had crossed the 13,000-run threshold at first drop in men’s one-day internationals. Per figures reported by The Times of India and DNA India, the all-time leading run-scorers at No. 3 in ODIs are:
- Virat Kohli (India) – 13,000 runs at an average of 61.61
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 12,662 runs at an average of 42.48
- Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 9,747 runs at an average of 44.71
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 7,774 runs at an average of 45.72
- Kane Williamson (New Zealand) – 6,504 runs at an average of 51.61
- Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 6,054 runs at an average of 55.54
- Joe Root (England) – seventh place
How the NZ vs IND ODI Unfolded
India captain Shubman Gill won the toss at Eden Park and opted to bowl first. India’s pace attack dismissed New Zealand for 185 in 40.2 overs. Anshul Kamboj was named Player of the Match after bowling a spell of 2/22 across 10 overs, including two maidens. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh took 4/70 in his 10 overs, while Gurnoor Brar claimed 3/44 in 9.2 overs.
Tim Seifert top-scored for New Zealand with 38 off 43 balls. Lower-order batter Blair Tickner added 34 off 23 deliveries, Glenn Phillips scored 30 off 51, and Daryl Mitchell made 28 off 41, while New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner was dismissed for 4.
India’s chase began with an early setback in the first over when Kyle Jamieson dismissed Rohit Sharma for a six-ball duck, leaving the visitors at 1/1. Kohli walked in at No. 3 and counterattacked, striking 13 fours and one six at a strike rate of 145.10. Together with Gill, who scored 37 off 56 balls, Kohli built a 113-run partnership for the second wicket before Gill fell at 114/2 in 18.2 overs.
New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy triggered a brief wobble with figures of 3/49 in 7 overs. Duffy had Kohli caught by Seifert in the 20th over at 124/3, dismissed Axar Patel for a duck at 124/4, and removed Shreyas Iyer for 15 off 13 balls at 136/5. KL Rahul (3 not out) and Naman Dhir (5 not out) saw India past the revised target with 56 balls remaining.
The victory gave India an immediate rebound after New Zealand beat India by 7 wickets (195/3 in 18 overs against 191/8 in 20 overs) in the fifth T20I at Seddon Park in Hamilton on November 1. Under the BCCI schedule, the two teams will meet for the second ODI of the five-match series on Saturday, November 7, at Hnry Stadium in Wellington.