As Virat Kohli prepares to take the field for his 300th ODI against New Zealand, it’s hard not to draw comparisons with some of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced – namely, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni. Before Kohli, six Indian players, including Dhoni and Tendulkar, had achieved this milestone. He’s on the cusp of becoming the first player in the world to play 300 ODIs, 100 Tests, and 100 T20 matches, a testament to his incredible career spanning over 27,000 international runs and 82 centuries.
## Where were Sachin and Dhoni after 300 ODIs
When looking at Sachin Tendulkar’s record, it’s evident that by the time he completed his 300 ODIs, he had scored 11,544 runs, with a total of 30 centuries under his belt. His 300th ODI match was against Sri Lanka in 2002, where he managed to score only 7 runs. On the other hand, MS Dhoni had a slightly different story to tell by the time he reached the 300 ODI mark. Dhoni had scored 9,657 runs, with 9 centuries in 300 matches, and an impressive average of 52.20. Interesting to note, Dhoni also played his 300th ODI against Sri Lanka, scoring an unbeaten 49 runs.
## Virat Kohli’s ODI career so far
Kohli, having played 299 ODIs so far, has already amassed 14,085 runs, significantly surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record. While Sachin had 30 centuries after 300 ODIs, Kohli boasts an impressive 51 centuries, averaging 58.20. This puts him in a league of his own, far ahead of his predecessors. Only a handful of players, including Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, and Yuvraj Singh, have reached this milestone, making Kohli’s achievement all the more remarkable. As he steps onto the field for his 300th match, it will be against New Zealand, marking another chapter in his illustrious career.
