Dubai: India's Virat Kohli made headlines on Sunday during India's first game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where he scored his 51st One Day International (ODI) century against arch-rivals Pakistan. With this brilliant performance, Kohli equaled the record of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who also has 51 centuries to his name, albeit from the Test format. Kohli's innings not only secured India’s six-wicket victory but also reinforced his position among the cricketing elite.
Kohli reached the milestone century in just 111 balls, marking his first hundred in the Champions Trophy. His extraordinary achievement placed him as the eighth Indian batsman to score a century during this prestigious tournament. He now joins the ranks of celebrated Indian cricketers such as Shikhar Dhawan, Sourav Ganguly, Mohamad Kaif, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill, who have all made their mark by scoring centuries in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Adding to the day's achievements, Kohli also made history as the fastest cricketer to amass 14,000 runs in ODIs, accomplishing the feat in just 287 innings. This spectacular record surpasses the previous benchmark set by Tendulkar, who needed 350 innings to reach the same milestone, and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who took 378 innings. Kohli became the third player ever to cross the 14,000-run mark, trailing Tendulkar and Sangakkara's total runs.
The match itself was significant; India had not forgotten their loss to Pakistan in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy. Kohli's century against Pakistan served as redemption, as he sought to avenge the setback from his previous captaincy. His stunning performance came under pressure, with India chasing 242 runs after Pakistan set the target with the assistance of their star performers.
Throughout his career, Kohli has shown remarkable consistency and prowess, contributing significantly to Indian cricket since his ODI debut back in 2008. He has played 299 ODIs and scored 14,085 runs at the time of this remarkable achievement. Kohli made headlines during the 2023 ODI World Cup by breaking the record for the most ODI centuries, scoring his 50th ton.
Leading up to his 51st century, Kohli had faced challenges with form, particularly during his red-ball engagements. His impending return to the ODI format had showcased his resilience, with half-century performances preceding this landmark innings. Kohli's achievement serves as not just personal triumph but as motivation for his team, aiming for glory at the Champions Trophy. His contribution against Pakistan continues to incite discussions around his legacy and skill as he continues climbing the ranks of all-time leading run-scorers.
During the match, he also took two catches, surpassing former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin to become India's all-time leading fielder with the maximum catches taken as captain. This was yet another augmentation to his status as one of the most influential players of his generation.
The running tally of Kohli’s ODI centuries remains nothing short of astonishing. Here are highlights from his record of 51 ODI hundreds:
These achievements express Kohli's continuous drive for excellence, fueling discussions of whether he is now the leading contemporary batsman with respect to One Day Internationals.
While Kohli's goals remain ambitious—to surpass Sangakkara's 14,234 ODI runs and approach Tendulkar’s esteemed record of 18,426 runs—the Champions Trophy 2025 could offer him meaningful opportunities. Fans and cricket analysts are staying glued to their screens, anticipating Kohli's coming matches, as he attempts to forge new milestones with each innings played.
Virat Kohli's record-breaking innings serves declaration to his trademark tenacity and unwavering spirit, continually pushing the boundaries of excellence.