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IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli continues run feast in Indore, slams first ton of 2026

IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli continues run feast in Indore, slams first ton of 2026

IND vs NZ: Virat Kohli continues run feast in Indore, slams first ton of 2026 Photograph: (AFP)

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Having been on a fluent run of form in 2025, Virat Kohli had narrowly missed out on a hundred in Vadodara but made up for it in Indore.

India’s Virat Kohli continued his superb form on Sunday (Jan 18) as he slammed his first hundred of 2026 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Having been on a fluent run of form in 2025, Virat had narrowly missed out on a hundred in Vadodara but made up for it in Indore. The ton was his 54th in the ODI format and 85th overall, highlighting his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.

Once again, just when India looked down and out at 71/4, Virat, who scored a 108-ball 124 with 10 fours and three sixes, gave India hope with an 88-run stand for the fifth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy and a 99-run stand for the seventh wicket with Harshit Rana.


This is Virat's 85th international century, and the chase for Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 international centuries continues. Also, this is Virat's 54th ODI ton, a record-extending one.

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This is the star batter's seventh ODI ton against New Zealand in 36 innings, the most by a batter against the Kiwis in the format. Also, his 10 centuries against NZ across all formats, including three in Tests, are the most by a batter against the Kiwis.


Also, he went past Australian icon Ricky Ponting (12,655 runs) for most runs in ODI cricket at number three. In 244 matches and innings at that spot, he has made 12,676 runs at an average of 61.53, with 47 centuries and 67 fifties and a best score of 183.

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His record during run-chases of 300-plus runs is incredible, with 2,131 runs in 37 innings at an average of 62.67 and a strike rate of 106.4, with 10 centuries and nine fifties. In bilateral series deciders across ODIs, he has made 784 runs in 16 innings at an average of 52.26, with two centuries and six fifties.


Centuries from Daryl Mitchell (137*) and Glenn Phillips (106) took NZ to 337/8, despite three wickets from Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh.


After being reduced to 5/2 and later 58/3, the duo put on a 219-run stand that put the Kiwis in a commanding position.


In the chase, India was down at 71/4, but an entertaining 88-run stand between Virat and Nitish Kumar Reddy (53 in 57 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and a 99-run stand between Virat and Harshit Rana (52 in 43 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) gave India hope, with Virat producing a masterclass 108-ball 124 ball to the delight of Indore crowd. However, once he was gone, it was curtains for India, who were all out for 296 in 46 overs, handing NZ the series 1-2.

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Aditya Vidyadhar Pimpale

Parth Seth is a research fellow at India Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, where he studies the themes of development, foreign policy, and multilateralism, particularly in ...Read More